Doing What Comes Naturally

A North Country family's quest to live a green lifestyle

Story by Amanda Marie Smith

Photos courtesy of Cassanda Blair

Like many mothers, Cassandra Blair wants to protect her children from the world’s harm. This mother’s instinct tells her to do so by getting rid of her microwave and T.V., eating as little processed food as possible, producing homemade, chemical-free laundry detergent, and, eventually, living off the grid, but not everyone can adapt to such a lifestyle.

Life in a materialistic family, where clothes and appearance were some of the most important lessons, seems far away to her now. As the baby of the family, Blair got whatever she wanted, her mother says. Blair confesses to being judgmental and acquisitive in her younger years and even her mother can attest to the fact that her daughter once had a mind of her own.

Blair’s mother says her daughter got over being materialistic with time and tough love. She admits her family was and is very materialistic, whereas Blair’s family simply uses what is necessary. 
“I just couldn’t [live that way],” says Brenda Blair. “But I’m proud of her for doing it.”

Since meeting her fiancé, Cory Dupuis, eight years ago, Blair realized material objects aren’t necessary if family and health are the main focus.

Dupuis was raised by a single mother in a household where money was tight. Dupuis says he was taught to be happy with what he had and to appreciate things he received. “[Cassandra] was going through a hard time and I sort of took her under my wing,” says Dupuis.

Blair and Dupuis, now want to raise their two boys with that same philosophy of fewer belongings and eating natural environment, free of genetically modified foods, processed junk food. This idea emerged at a time when neither Blair nor Dupuis was employed.

"I can’t expect my kids to live [such] a life if I can’t live it."

This lack of income sparked a decision to cut back on what the family deemed unnecessary. They then began growing and making things, such as vegetables and detergent, themselves. “Cable was the first thing to go because it takes up too much time,” Blair says.

The Internet is currently the only extra service they pay for. In time, they would like to run everything off of a generator, propane, solar panels and wind energy. “I can’t expect my kids to live [such] a life if I can’t live it,” Blair says.

Blair and Dupuis’ family live on three-fourths of an acre of land with three gardens, six baby chicks, and a modest house.

The family recently decided to take another step toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle by building a greenhouse out of other people’s unwanted materials like old windows and boards. These materials are collected from anywhere they can obtain them; they have even put up an ad on Craig’s List. The greenhouse will be constructed by Dupuis using blueprints from the Internet and will be equipped with a wood stove for year-round use.

The next move the family will make is to acquire animals for producing natural, organic foods. Blair shudders when thinking about having to butcher her own livestock, but says she feels more comfortable doing it herself considering how animals are sometimes treated in slaughterhouses – inhumanely and pumped with chemicals.

Already, Blair preserves the family’s food by canning and dehydrating it. She says preserving food costs less, enables food to last longer than food purchased from the grocery store, and allows the food to be stored for a longer period of time.

She also makes their own laundry detergent which costs less than 50 cents per load and lasts six to eight months. All of the family’s self-sufficient activities take longer than it does to simply use a machine or buy items off the shelf at the local supermarket. “It’s time consuming, but it’s worth it in the long run,” Blair says. “I’m never bored anymore.”

Eventually, she hopes to live a life devoid of trips to the grocery store. Little by little, her family is getting closer to their goal of living off the grid. Blair admits that another downside to being environmentally-conscious is that her family’s lifestyle is constantly being scrutinized by outsiders who think it strange to live this way.

"It’s time consuming, but it’s worth it in the long run."

Brenda is proud of the changes she has made, but remains concerned about her daughter’s family’s financial security. “She’s thinking about her kids’ futures, but not her own,” Brenda says. “She has a vision, but it’s not a full picture. She’s focusing only on one aspect.”

Dupuis has been out of work for some time, but finds what he can in construction while Blair is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools the boys. “We have been living off very minimal money for the past six months, but we don’t spend a lot, so it really doesn’t affect us,” Blair says.

Money only accumulates debt, and Dupuis insists there is proof of this. “This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private,” he reads off a dollar bill. “We teach our kids that money has no significant value,” he continues. “I mean, I give you this dollar and it covers my debt. In actuality, it’s just paper.”

“It’s hard to please everyone.”

Dupuis says he likes not having to rely on the government and corporations. He thinks of his alternative lifestyle as practicing what he preaches. “We’re trying to reverse the damage done by going back to basics,” he says.

When his sons go outside to play, they run past the toys, most given to them by friends and family says Dupuis. Instead, they pick up sticks and feathers or get filthy in the garden. His eldest son, Riley, recently became fond of climbing trees.

The family struggles with gift-giving and unnatural foods being given to the children. “I try to keep her happy, but I want the kids and myself to be happy, too,” Brenda says. “It’s hard to please everyone.”

Blair says she doesn’t want to deprive her children of what other kids may have, but would like them to stay true to their lifestyle as well. “I can’t say I’d be disappointed [if my children decided they didn’t want to live this lifestyle,] but ultimately it’s their choice,” she says. “I figured that if I brought them up this way, they wouldn’t think it’s strange.”

Is there anything you do to reduce the cost of living or help the environment?

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