The content you’re looking for is no longer here. We’re finally beginning to shut this blog down, to remove old content.
We’ve chosen to start with essays that are available elsewhere. Specifically, this article has been edited into our book, Sacred Coffee: A “Homesteader’s” Paradigm. The book is available in print, as an audiobook, and in several eBook formats. It contains edited, improved, and expanded versions of essays that used to be available for free on this blog, and new material as well. You can learn more about it, and order it here in your preferred format.
I commend you. Do you have an income? What taxes do you pay? How much land do you have to live off of?
Jim, we don’t have a steady income. We have a number of “micro incomes” that help sustain us financially. I just released a book of short stories, Shy Ghosts Dancing: Dark Tales from Southeast Alaska. I started a small publishing company to help others publish, and to further my freelance Web design work. We earn some from the ads you see around the Web site, and my articles posted on Helium.com. I handle orders for my brother’s boat plans. Michelle has done some childcare work in town as well. Our income taxes are light, but we do pay property taxes on our 10.5+ acres.
Thanks for visiting the site!
Mark
We are employed right now but when we move to our little homestead we will both be on SS. We decided a long time ago to pay off our place where we live now and already have it sold so that also will help. We have been been able to live quite comfortable on less than our SS and have figured out we will save 700 a month when we move.
No soup for you until you tie Dave to a chair and make him finish his book! income is pointless if you can’t have any soup!! 🙂
Ha ha! To tie him down, I’d have to catch him first!
Just want to commend you for picking such a beautiful spot. I grew up in Haines in the 70’s and lived on small tract rd just as you come up to the top of the hill across the street from the Adkins. Spent many days at the beach at Mud Bay!
Thanks, Michelle. We spend a lot of time congratulating ourselves on our choice, too!
My husband and I would like to move to Alaska within the next 1-2 years. I would like to find 5-10 acres and build our own home. We already have all the knowlege and skills for an off the grid homesteading lifestyle, but location and community are two major problems. We want to be as self sustainable and remote as possible in a area already near a small off grid community or at least have a few freindly neighbors., but I’m unsure where to look and how we are going to get all the intial materials and supplies we need to get started to our property and how much it will cost. Can you offer any advice?
Dianna, I think Fairbanks would be a good jumping off point. It’s probably closest to the bush communities that might offer that much land. You may not find off grid as we do it, but most of these communities offer the right conditions for off grid living.
Acquiring materiel and shipping it is a major problem here, but those who live in the bush know the sources and methods, as they’ve been doing it for generations.
The biggest obstacle is likely finding acceptance in a fairly (or extremely) closed community. Many of these places are Native villages. I would advise visiting, being very humble, LISTENING to the people, helping hem in their daily tasks when you can–all the things that make one a good neighbor.
Best of luck! I hope it works for you!
Greetings, new to your sight while searching for Alaskan clothing. My two young men want to move to the last frontier. So, we agreed to try it out. I’d like to start with a Himalayn snow suit, myself, though I will settle, now, for good or better ideas . PreExploring for the day of the venture is rewarding…we meet others even on this journey that are out there ahead of us. We are off grid here in Virgina foot hills, but I think Alaska puts us in primary education experience in living self sufficient. We feel way behind your level. Thanks for being there for US young pioneers.
Good luck to you all! Remember that layering works better than relying on one garment.