81-year-old David Lidstone has lived an off the grid lifestyle for the past three decades. He has a small cabin in the woods of New Hampshire along the Merrimack River. He grows his own food, cuts his own firewood, and raises chickens.
Now, he’s being jailed after being accused of squatting for those three decades on private property. The owner of the land now wants to tear down the cabin.
Jodie Gedeon, an avid kayaker who befriended Lidstone about 20 years ago, is working with other supporters to help him, including organizing a petition drive and collecting money to cover property taxes.
“He’s just a really, really, big caring guy, and just chooses to live off the grid,” she said. “It really is about humanity, it really is about compassion, empathy … he’s not hurting anybody.”
Lidstone has claimed that years ago, the owner gave his word — but nothing in writing — allowing him to live there. But in the eyes of the current owner, he’s a squatter and needs to go.
What do you think? Should the man be able to live how he wants or should the landowner be able to remove him?
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