As we head into the shorter-day months of fall and winter, there are some various options to consider when it comes to lighting. It really all depends on personal preference. For those trying to go "off grid" as much as possible, your options are limited. Now let me be as transparently clear as I can; I am not talking so much about how you light your home, but how you manage to go about your chores after the sun has gone down. Yes, there will be times that you simply cannot possibly complete everything needed to be done in the handful of hours allotted to you by Nature. In the old days, a person worked from sunup until sundown and no more. Today, with many households requiring multiple incomes, it's not always practical to assume you can complete all your necessary chores by 5 or 6 in the evening, the earliest time the sun will begin to drop by midwinter. Not to mention that in this modern age it would be complete folly to utterly disregard all possible methods of artificially lighting your surroundings. Even cave-dwellers had the ability to beat the darkness back.
With that in mind, there are a few different options. The easiest, most convenient, and most expensive would be electrical lighting. You run (preferably) underground electrical wiring to the area you wish to have lit, a barn, a corral, a work area, and then add switches, outlets, and fixtures. Again, this can be very expensive not only in the materials cost, but also installation. It's always a good idea to have a qualified electrician install the system, reducing the risk of potential fire later. This method would top out not only on expense, but also on convenience. What luck! Just walk over, flip a switch, and voila! Instant light to wherever you needed it most. However, while this type of lighting can be as strong or as light as you need, there is the unfortunate drawback of only being able to light the specific areas planned. So you'll want to decide carefully before installing.
Another option is portable/handheld lighting using flashlights or electrical lamps. These offer the greatest potential for flexibility. The light goes wherever you need it to go. There are some rather significant drawbacks though, the cost of batteries being one of the highest. The crank-type lamps often lose their vitality after just a short while and can be expensive. These types of lighting often need to be directed by the hand (flashlight) to be truly effective. A battery powered lamp or floodlight would be a good alternative option for portable light. The best benefit of this type of lighting is the initial start-up cost and availability. You can obtain a flashlight or lamp almost anywhere! Batteries can be obtained in almost any place you can name that sells small items. Initially, this will always be the best option in the early days of homesteading. It's a good idea to keep a few lamps or lights on hand regardless of your chosen lighting method. You never know when you might need a spare light!
The final option, and my ultimately preferred method, is the use of an oil lantern. I'm sure you can picture the kind I mean. They were very popular about a hundred years ago. The general unit is metal with a hurricane glass wrapped in wire over a wick that dips into the well of the base. It generally also has a thick wire handle that swings a bit. Yes, you can still purchase these for about $5 brand new. No need to raid your local antique shops (unless you wish to do so). The base can be filled with either lamp oil or kerosene, which tends to burn rather slowly, resulting in this method being the most cost effective. Remember that when lighting a new lamp, you should fill the base with the oil and allow it to sit unburned overnight (or several hours) so that the wick absorbs the oil before you light it the first time. I use plain matches to light my lanterns, no fancy lighters necessary. It's best to keep your lantern below eye level, as it will have a tendency to affect vision acuity if held directly within the line of sight, I've found. Also, when setting your lantern down, be sure there is no possible risk of it falling or being knocked over. It won't explode like they show in the movies, but it might go out. Keep the lantern glass clean for optimal lighting, but never when the glass is hot. I prefer this method because it's quick, it's constant, it's portable, and it lights a considerable distance. This is one method, however, I would not entrust to very small children. My older kids though, have no trouble using the lanterns. In fact, they get a kick out of using them!
