"I QUIT" It Only Took 6 Days OFF GRID in ALASKA to realize we had made a mistake...
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- Опубликовано: 11 июн 2024
- We are not even a full week into our Alaska Off Grid Challenge, and something happens that brings us to a breaking point!
Do we quit? Leave Alaska and head back to the grid?
Watch and find out!
Helpful Links (some are affiliate links)
Pioneer Version of the Interview with Jon Crocker
www.thisishomesteady.com/the-...
Become a Pioneer - www.thisishomesteady.com/quic...
Jons Book - A Practical Guide to Off-grid Living in Alaska
amzn.to/45yL8gL
Joolca Water System - www.joolca.com/ 
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READ Before you comment: We only rented this cabin for the summer in Alaska. We wanted to learn about off grid systems and get a feel for how "normal on-grid people" would adjust to off-grid living. Many of your questions will be answered by Watching the Entire video. We're getting ready to release the next video, so we won't be able to moderate any more comments. If you have any questions, feel free to email!
A good lesson is: wood stoves are important year round. Indoor cooking, heat, comfort, dry clothes... you need one.
I would also add a fire place it is such a wonderful thing and you can bake,cook,dry,dehydrate,ect. I know you can do all that with a stove but a fire place can add heat but not so much radiant.
You are not living in an ideal off grid situation. In an ideal situation, you would have an indoor composting toilet, indoor cooking facility, water, heat and appropriate space to house your large family. You are camping in the rain. You can't compare Alaska to Pennsylvania.
Pretty much. And as they said in the last episode, the "off grid" cabin rentals in alaska are almost always broken or have problems. Never maintained. The one they started in is literally just a roof and walls. This is not the case in an off grid HOME, built RECENTLY.
I will say, it IS valuable to understand how much you can handle. As a "test" this conceptually is nice. Because they are going to BUILD their home. So many many things that we take for granted might just be a "WORK IN PROGESS" or a "NEXT PROJECT" sorta thing. Like, how long will they be able to stand not having plumbing? Or how long could they handle not having hot water? Or how long could they handle only having portable battery banks or relying on a generator before solar/batteries are put in? All very valuable questions if they would live on the new property while it's being built. Most homestead/offgrid channels operate on this sorta model as it is much more lucrative for video content. And it also adds drama. And it is honestly far cheaper. BUT dunno their timeline now, as the land they bought they aren't living on yet, just prepping before the build. And if they just have a builder do it, move in after construction, then...no this crap is pointless. With modern solar/batteries, composting toilets, and water catchment, off grid (if you mean JUST off grid meaning off grid with utilities, not being super remote) can be "easy". It's the building of that that is difficult and time consuming
, especially done without professionals and done overtime rather than all at once..
Going to alaska though for a test is VERY odd, as they are not moving even to a different STATE. They have already bought their property. Not in the middle of nowhere. I would have done an "off grid test trip" in or near pennsylvania, in some cabin. Why "practice" with alaska stuff you'd never have to in your ACTUAL off grid journey? Like weird weather, animals,etc. And just the insanity that was getting to alaska/packing for alaska/etc. Only having what they took with them. This is all youtube clickbait/drama creation. Making a DRAMA FILLED alaska WILDERNEESSSS adventure into a video series is good for views.
Or more realistically, this is a combination content farm/off grid test/VACATION. A vacation with messed up expectations like they mentioned. But it wouldn't really be a vacation to just stay in pennsylvania. They wanted to do the vacation-y thing of going to a crazy new place. The vacation and content farm aspect seems like the ACTUAL reason they did this in alaska. Not for any real practical comparison. They can literally just camp on their new property to test.
I don’t think most people (with a limited budget) can start off with the “ideal” off grid setup. We wanted to get an idea of what it was like living in a very basic off grid cabin.
Fortunately, Pennsylvania gets rain as well. So this was a really good test to see what being stuck in a small cabin was like for an extended period of time. We had been conflicted about what size home should we build on our new homestead, so now we know that it has to be bigger than the 300 sq ft cabin.
@@miavaughn2393Summer in AK vs summer in PA…can be pretty similar actually. So Alaska was a really nice test, especially because of the sheer quantity and variety of cabins that are off grid and the fact that we had off grid acquaintances (now friends) that we were eager to interview in person.
@Homesteadyshow when you mention the costs and the weather to start an off grid/self sustainable farmstead..
Much respect for taking on Alaska as this massive Challenge.. But would have loved seeing you try homesteading in a climate south of the border where you can grow food all year round..
Visited a beautiful farm in the highlands of Central Mexico, the temperatures averaged 67 degrees annually, never had a need for heating besides the occasional propane heat lamps, campfire at night. That alone must save tons of energy costs..
Also, not to mention it provided the neighbors a lot of work and they would teach their Mexican neighbors how to grow their own sustainable food using the latest off grid tips and tricks farm technology.
Do you ever worry about Big Agricultural lobbying politicians to pass laws making sustainable farming unsustainable in the US?
I'm afraid they're going to make homesteading a beurocratic nightmare where you can't make money off of your surplus.
That A frame is nothing more than a hard shelled tent with no amenities. We have an off grid off road place( over a half dozen miles from a road) we have rainwater collection, Rv water heater and pump along with a real shower. . We have a way of easily melting snow for water in the winter. We even have a small washing machine. We have a 48 v inverter with solar but have to run the small generator every few days for a few hours in the winter. We heat it with wood and have propane backup. We also have a full size propane range and a propane refrigerator. We run a freezer off solar in the summer. We have an insulated outhouse that a propane light heats. We also don’t have an A frame but a cabin with 384 sqft on the first floor and two bedrooms upstairs. We can sleep about a dozen people, but half that is best for sitting around the table in the kitchen. We also have a screened in porch which is like another room in the summer.
It sits empty most of the time now as we are in our senior years.
K jokingly saying “well, you’re the dad!” when talking about turning on the propane heater made me laugh, but also really warmed my heart. Your kids are very lucky to have parents who are a team, and especially a father who loves them and their mother and acts accordingly. Many are not so lucky, and I’m not a parent yet, but it’s reassuring to see parents who still like each other! Best wishes to all of you!
Even if it wasn’t in Alaska, you weren’t prepared. I saw that in the beginning. But Alaska takes a whole different mental and physical approach to being prepared… do you have what it takes? Only you can answer that.
I just happened to come across this video. I give people credit who choose to live off the grid. It takes hard work and some thinking. Nice to see people not lazy. We currently live in Florida (since 2020) via NY. AK is a state we’d love to visit someday, pending on my husband’s health. He had accident in ‘15 and is still having back issues. We’ll see if one last operation can save him. We’d rent a small motor home and camp in different spots. But the harsh and snowy winters are too much for us anymore. Thanks for sharing.
You hit the nail on the head, my friend. We stick together and help each other. Our neighbors and community rely on us and us on them. Lived here all our lives. Love it here!
This was something that made me interested in AK, the community of neighbors that work together. I heard lots of stories about it while we were there. It's an awesome thing!
@@Homesteadyshow it’s probably the one number 1 reason why I will never leave here. Be blessed. Have a great week friend.
Your wife is such a trooper with amazing perseverance! Way to go, K. You are strong and an inspiration as a mom, wife and homesteader!
Bullshit. In case of end of times. I'd leave her. She's nothing but extra baggage. Go back to the city. You guys aren't tough enough.
I have a friend who lives in Haines Alaska a while back I talked to her and asked what she was doing? She said “I am sitting on my front porch in my Daisy Dukes and a halter top sweating my butt off, it is so hot I am miserable”
She was being quite serious, I asked her what the temperature was and she said 43°F she said I can’t wait for winter to come back!!!
You guys are doing fine. I once trained to ride my bicycle around the world. It was fairly well understood in that community that the first few days are the hardest. It's like that with many things. Going off grid it might be closer to a few years, especially if starting from scratch. Has been for me! The comment below talking about the importance of the wood stove cannot be underestimated. It's comfort, comfort food, dryer air, ambiance, morale boosting, and more. Again, you're doing fine!
Oh my I love this comment! Yes! The first few days WERE the hardest! Looking back I want to shout through the screen at past Aust and tell him what’s coming, hang in there! But I guess that would ruin the fun… and space time continuum 🤓
Alaska is one of the rainiest places in the US. You didn’t bring an EZ up? A second EZ up to poop under? I go camping for the weekend and I make sure we have a dry cook space. I don’t get it….
You need a number of structures out there to survive. You need an outhouse built. You need like a covered patio area. You could do outside cooking. You need a stack of probably at least. 10 qt of firewood. You need a fire ring so you could have have like a fire outside. You need to have a kitchen inside that a frame where you can cook a cake or you can wash. Dishes and just pipe it outside, you need many things and it's going to be tough until you build them.
I just love your little family so much. Some day when your kids are grown and your white haired and old, you'll look back on these memories full of love and appreciation for the sweet memories made. 😊❤
This is one of the best things about doing videos for a living, having these little faces and voices to go back and see years later. I’m not crying it’s just allergies 😭
Having a working wood stove in that place vs a moisture adding propane heater would make alot of difference. You can also cook and dry things on it.
Kudos to ALL OF YOU!!! Sticking it out - hanging in there - having some fun - and not giving up…yet
Totally not prepared. To move to alaska to live off grid for the first time not knowing what you are doing...is insanity.
In the summer, Alaska is full of tourists renting out off grid cabins. It’s not really an unusual thing.
@@Homesteadyshow probably not to them because they know more about off grid from living it at some point or taught themselves. You can't just go out in the wilderness and automatically know how to survive...it takes some kind knowledge of it. Being a hard worker does not make you or anyone else an off gridder.
You guys are such a great team, & excellent storytellers. And I’ll never get tired of seeing the way K looks into Aust’s eyes with her big cheeky smile!
I (Aust) never get tired of that either 😍
I have memories of living "off grid". My mom and dad moved to a ranch in eastern Montana. There was no power or running water. Mom washed clothes in a wash tub and we bathed in the same tub. All of us kids were fine but it was hard work for mom. I learned a lot though. I am fairly off grid now with solar power but indoor bathrooms and heaters. Wood stove and propane. I don't think I would have even tried what you are doing. We did have a cabin in the mountains that was much like you are living in but only for a week at a time. More power to you. You will learn a lot and know what to do and not to do!!
I'm telling ya, I can't believe you made it this long ! Kay is one helluva Woman/Momma/Wife/Work hoarse !! There's no way I could take care of those Babies and a Husband like that, Bless you all ! I'm loving the Video's, you guy's are my true Hero's
Double that😇🥰
Hi there. The one wonderful thing I see in your videos is that you both work like a team and you both have a lot of patience when things are not easy. I admire you both. Much appreciated and blessings from Kingston Ontario Canada
I grew up in AK. I’ve seen lots of cabins with more amenities and views, and a lake or rivers to play in and yet are rustic. Your rented cabin is just rundown and in the middle of nowhere.
Alaskans rarely just sit at home. They get out and go fishing, go hiking, or berry picking, etc. Folk don’t go sit with 6 kids in a cabin.
Packing in water is real, outhouses are real, wood stoves and camp stoves, and dry sinks are real. Never saw the technology you’ve brought.
Here are the basics. A water source, a way to heat food and water, appropriate clothing, bedding, and shelter, and lots of mosquito repellent! But it’s also supposed to be fun. Playing cards, books to read, singing around a fire after a day of adventure. The midnight sun makes for long days and late nights if you aren’t careful. This is far from the off-grid farm you’ve planned. I can’t see how this is preparing you. Sorry.
Don’t worry, Wendy, we figured this all out. 😉 And our cabin was in one of the most beautiful areas in all of Alaska. We were truly blessed to be able to spend the summer in it, despite our rough first weeks.
Such amazing memories you are making with your family. Not to mention all the life skills experienced. We are so enjoying sharing this journey with you.
You gotta do like a good dad did back in the day and go up with your dad or buddy and get it ready for the wife and kids. Then you have to send a letter via horse for them to come to Alaska
it's been a cool rainy summer out west in the the continental US.
Daughter seems smart. Just do some research together on how certain wet rocks that heat up by the fire can explode when the water inside them boils, and how to make sure that doesn't happen to you?
I so love this series Aust and Kay you are doing amazing. Great editing and showing the real struggles. Being a homesteady pioneer I can say has really been awesome the extended videos and interviews are so worth it.
☺️ So glad your enjoying the extended videos! Jons interview is soooo good, one of my favs from the whole series!
I think this is probably the most unprepared attempt I have ever seen at something like this. It’s like absolutely 0 research was done.
With a series, it can be hard to get the full story without watching the other videos. But we were able to visit AK first in the early spring to pick an area to stay in, talk to locals, plan what we should have, etc. But one of the awesome things about life is that not everything can be planned and unexpected things happen. Unexpected doesn’t mean bad though. We had an amazing summer and wouldn’t have changed anything we did. It was life changing and unforgettable (in a really good way.)
I’ve done zero research on off grid living and just from watching RUclips I knew they were going to fail. The first thing he should have done was have heat ready. It’s common knowledge how finicky Alaska weather is and that summer are quite cold at night. Second, coming from life in modern society you better have a covered closed in place to use the restroom. When I saw the bucket and a tarp I was like you e got to be kidding. If your going to make this plunge put the investment into it! How would it cost to to build a quick east structure with walls and a roof. Not much. The wood stove should have been top priority. Heat and a cooking source if needed.
@@leobaltz2057 this is exactly what I mean. We all now Alaska weather is unpredictable at best and even during the summers nights get cold. They chose an A frame (which is one of the hardest types of cabin to heat and only one little ass heater. This feels like a complete clout chase that did nothing other than make those who love this lifestyle look like idiots. How was a wood stove not a top priority? It’s literally like they just showed up to Alaska like they stood a chance.
Beautiful series. Loving this so much!
Honestly, offgrid life doesn't have to be this hard. Plan it. Think it through. We've been doing it for years. 100% offgrid.
Hoping you guys stick with it.
Moved out to an off-grid home in Appalachia last year. Our main goal is off-grid in Alaska. My compromise was Tennessee, as I knew very little and hoped better climate would give us a better chance.
Our 18 year plan is still Alaska. We're rooting for you guys from over here.
Watching as it loads a little bit at a time here.
I think a long term Alaska plan is so smart. It’s a lot to dive into (as we’re learning) but long term is very doable (as the people we interview in this series will show!)
@@Homesteadyshow well already you guys have made it through further than the romance that most TV shows about Alaska show. Looking forward to seeing the rest.
Definitely did not expect 40 in the summer time? Gosh, it's 40 here at night and I'm keeping the stove going for the kids. I'm definitely not as prepared to the idea as I thought.
🤞Best wishes to you guys
@@the-asylum On one hand I can't even fathom an 18 year plan. But on the other hand I've been dreaming of AK for around 13 years, with plans to make the move come springtime. This past year or so has been agonizingly slow. Wishing you the best on your plan! -Dusty
@@DustyBottomAcresAK it's not by choice exactly, just when the youngest child turns 18. Had to reset the clock, as we're expecting again right now.
Good luck this spring 🤞 we wish you guys well
Just do it. I quit a real good job in New England in 1979. I sold everything except what would fit in my little Datsun pickup, yeah, remember those? The first 8 months were touch and go as the job market wasn’t that great. I did lots of odd jobs including shoveling gravel, bucking hay and what ever else I could get. Within a year I was making about 10 grand more than when I left and in two years I was making over 3 times that( 3 times my age back then. There are a lot more job opportunities now than back then. We have a couple places here now and one is off road with ATV and snowmobile access. It’s like a remote house. In Alaska we consider remote a place you can’t drive your road vehicle to. A place with a pickup or car in the yard is not remote. I also had a son under 3 that I was raising myself.
I feel like there was no nearly enough prep out into this venture.
Sounds like no homework wasn't completed ????? Lord have mercy on these folks 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Welcome to Alaska !!!¡!
You are not a quitter ! Keep the faith !!!!!🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thanks! Alaska was beautiful. We enjoyed our summer there, learned so much from other Alaskans about off-grid setups, and would love to visit Alaska again.
@@Homesteadyshowwhat? I would have followed your channel if you had planned to stay in Alaska. I thought that's what this was all about. Pththth
You guys have done a great job putting this video together. 💕
Thanks 😊 I don’t know if I’ve ever spent so much time on one single video as this one, I wanted to balance reality of how we felt with the reality of the situation, facts vs feels, honest but not too dramatic (although the feelings at the time we’re quite strong) I hope it gets the right feeling across 😅
Looks like a great place! I'm actually looking for something off grid in that area for next year as I move to AK with my son, so this is a great opportunity to see it beforehand. I've been following from the beginning, and I can't wait for more to come. Thanks for allowing us to come along, I'm counting down the next 6-8 months with Every. Tick. Of. The. Clock. . . . . . -Dusty
I live off the grid. I live in the bad lands in the northwest. We have lived this way for 25 years.
People think it's so cool to live off grid when it is actually labor intensive, more so depending on the land.
People like me were born a 100 years to early ,or a 100 years too late!
Don't go trying to live this way unless you really have to do so, or you are an Earth baby!
I’m loving the algorithm for bringing me here❤. I got proud mom teary-eyed when babygirl achieved her fire pit. 🎉 best wishes for your future
That is a misconception that you don’t need a stove during the summer months in Alaska. Believing that misconception is your first mistake.
Thanks for sharing your journey! You guys are troopers. And Kay is a rockstar ❤
Wow I have been trying to move to Alaska for 30 years.....I would give anything to come up there and live off grid.
We have both getting Social Security, so it's been tight,, we paid off our truck, our house hold stuff.
I am an older hunter and camping woman, we would love. Be happy with what you have accomplished because you have out done me.
Your there! 😁😉😸🐕
During 2020 panic we decided to move to our camp. There are just the two of us and two dogs. It’s just a little Amish built one room cabin. My husband knew we needed a good wood stove, insulation, a minimum of solar and plugs and wiring, a shower and hot water heater. And still it was hard! We didn’t even move in till 2021. We bought a piece of junk snowmobile. Bad idea. The road wasn’t plowed. We both got Covid in January. We hoofed it in and out a mile and a half each way. My husband’s pickup kept breaking down. Our generator died. But we did it! We made it through the whole winter. Since then we have improved things and it was much easier.
You weren’t prepared, picked a bad cabin, it isn’t livable. Given the right preparedness you could do it and be comfortable.
We prepared for the summer, learned that a few things we expected weren’t there and then adjusted to that. It was an amazing summer and we learned so much from other off-grid neighbors. Truly we wouldn’t have changed a thing about it.
@@Homesteadyshow you sure came across as miserable. Just saying.
Way to hang in there! I'm sorry the weather was such a downer.. but ya'll are gonna make it!
Kudos to ALL OF YOU!!!
Off grid ain't for everyone, used to live on my sailboat, took some planning & money to set things up. Key was having Solar + Wind Generator + High Amp Alternator to provide power for house batteries to operate lights, radio, TV, Microwave, & Refrigerator. Had to adapt food to off grid environment. Mostly made food in freezer bags & only had to boil water. Buy a 4 inch Silicone Muffin Cup. For bread keep packages of Tortillas. Milk & Cereal = 1 1/4 cup cereal + 1/3 cup NIDO in a freezer bag, add cold water, shake, instant Milk & Cereal. Spanish Rice & Beans = 1/3 cup Minute Rice + 2/3 cup Dehydrated Refried Beans + Taco Seasoning + 1 cup boiling water. Mash Potatoes & Pulled Pork = 1/2 cup instant Mash Potatoes + 12oz boiling water + 1 can BBQ Pulled Pork. Imitation Biscuits & Gravy = 1 package Ramen broken up into small pieces + 1/2 packet Pioneer Country Gravy + 1 cup boiling water. Grits & Bacon = 2 packets instant grits + bacon pieces + 1 cup boiling water. Beef Tacos = 1 (12oz) can Roast Beef + 1 slice onion, + taco seasoning, saute in skillet, makes 2-3 soft tacos. Had a BBQ grill on rail over water to cook steaks & sausage. Can make pancakes in Microwave cup, looks like a muffin. Microwave Omelet = Ham pieces in Silicone Cup + Shredded Cheese + stir in 2 eggs, microwave 3 minutes, looks like a muffin but it is a Ham & Cheese Omelet. To Pee inside reuse an old laundry bottle. For showers used a bucket attached to a rope, tossed into ocean then dumped bucket over my head. Cell Phone data/internet is usually available close to shore. Just takes a little knowledge to adapt to off grid environment.
Im living vicariously through you, thanks for sharing your adventures. Ignore the haters.
Off-grid does NOT need to be as primitive as the cabin you picked. You can do a nice house off grid with heat and bathrooms!
Yep! Our goal (one reason we picked this little place) was to see how primitive we want our new off grid home to be. And we sure did learn a lot!
first off the open gap at the botom of your home between the lower edge of the roof and the ground should be blocked? air travels under the opening to freeze the bottom of the home inside, blocking it would seal the underside of the home. example in our home, the home sits on a foundation and there vents around the base of the home , during the winter we cover all west side vents ,( this the side the winds blows in) and the east side stays open.creating a seal underside.
"safe to use indoors" "propane stove" is a contradiction in terms. If you're burning stuff to keep warm, it's going to produce products of combustion - carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, soot...
We (wife and I) live on a 100% off-grid ranch in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. Try no water well, less than 12" of rain per YEAR, limited or no big game to hunt, no greenery like grass, tall trees, etc. Every plant has thorns, every animal is poisonous, a rodent, or a predator, and wants to eat or kill everything you raise or grow. The summers are ridiculously long and extremely hot. Even today, October 16th, the temperature reached 101.5°F! Zero electricity provided, we generate our own power.
Only 3 familes live on our 2 mile dead end dirt road in the middle of nowhere. We are surrounded by Reservation land and BLM land. Town is a 2 hour round trip without stopping. There is no doctor closer than an hour. It's nearly impossible to grow a garden on rain collecting. The amount of collection surface needed to support a small garden from the 12 inches of rainfall each year is ridiculous. We often haul water from a well that is a 16 mile round trip.
Did I mention the random people that jump our fence, steal our chicken eggs, beg for water, leave their trash on our road as they wander through at 3am? Yeah, thats a real thing here too! Alaska has bears, we got Hoomans!
But I wouldn't trade my freedom for anything. The first few years were tough, living in an RV until we got our house built, now life has become more thriving in a real, but small, home. A real flushing toilet is also nice. 😊
We don't have the toddlers your family is sporting, but I can tell you that many hands make for easy work. Two hands make for very long projects.
Sounds like we need to visit you guys and do an interview!? Next summer… or better yet winter? (Do you get those)
Hope to see a new Alaska adventure soon!
I see so many couples, occasionally a single person, trying to go off grid. Then you catch sight of a solar pack or other electric device that you have no way of repairing when it fails. You are still very much dependent upon a grid, you’ve just become more remote. Such a simple forethought to be prepared for rain, bring a hat not more hair gel. Bringing your children along but allowing them the tablet, another very on grid thing, just seems unreal to me. There is a way to dry clothes, its called fire, even an outdoor fire will dry your wet boots, shirts and pants.
Some distant relatives moved to Maine from Texas. Apparently the two girls had never seen a lake freeze over completely. They walked right out from shore about 50’ on black ice. My brother saw them and did his best to not panic them into coming back to shore quickly. They made it without getting soaked but needed a lot of education on safety, the family soon moved back to Texas. Point is that you can get in way over your head fast when you don’t think things through.
Many have done this before you, many have failed. RUclips, reality (fantasy) tv shows are edited to tell a certain story. Many times they are lying to you about the struggles of certain lifestyles to give us a show. You are finding out the hard way that living in Alaska is no picnic. Good luck, don’t die!😂❤
Thanks! The summer was an incredible learning experience.
These last two summers have been very wet, chronicling our adventures up here has been rough. It is really hard up here, so I get your feels.
Sounds like you are learning a lot, which is what you signed up for. Glad it is working out in that regard. Hope it gets better.
I have one of those Mr Heater, you have to run the pilot light for quite some time the first time you use it
Y'all got this! ❤
I live in Alaska and just found this video. I decided to scan back over your previous videos. Gadzooks! You’ve been podcasting for over seven years! I’ll have to subscribe to see what’s next and scan back to see what came before and how much you’ve learned.
Actually this will be our 10th year of podcasting (just didn’t do podcasts on YT that long) 🥳 welcome Walter, we’re glad to have you subscribed, and thanks for joining the conversation in the comments!
Basically,it sounds like tent camping. Most offgridders I have seen have inside composting toilets, cooking setups and some solar. This is very primitive
This is so genuine!!! Gosh, I soooo wish it was nicer for you guys… Oli is from Germany and I was born and raised here in Alaska and this REALLY was the worse summer of my lifetime! This video is enthralling and you guys did amazing!!! I hope you give Alaska another try and come visit again! Cheechako vs Sourdough… you’ve almost earned Sourdough title! ♥️
Worse summer of your LIFETIME! That does make us feel better for letting it get us so down 😅
@@Homesteadyshow 😆🤣😆
How old are you? I’ve been here 45 years and I remember other years this rainy.
Do I have to say? lol...To be fair, I was born in Anchorage, grew up in the Valley, 9 years in Valdez and 3 years in Nome...so this is my coldest and wettest summer I have experienced in the "Valley". @@Chris_at_Home
So relatable 😊😂 we moved in February, and it's was still powder snowing and FREEZING!! we actually went backwards and started watching more tablets and eating sooo un healthy for the 1st month.
I totally relate to the outdoor bathroom (my toddler calls it the bathroom house) AND a outdoor shower 😅😅
The rainy months can really get you down. I think your family did so well!! I'm excited to watch the rest of these in your series.
Great video❤❤
I grew up there, just like that. Kerosene lamps, woodstove, hauling water from the creek (or thawing snow), canning salmon and beach asparagus. I'm homesteading in the contiguous United States, thank you!
I have an off grid cabin in Maine. Woodstoves are key! I have had weeks at camp in July where it was in the 40s and rainy all day. A lot of sewing projects got done on the porch. Got to patch those quilts while underneath them, after all!
I just got one of your shorts in my feed and it made me realize that I haven't seen any more of your videos of this Alaskan Adventure on Friday! I hope everything is ok.
You tried it with kids. Kudos to you!! It was a learning experience for everyone.
Gridlessness are hard working people. An amazing wonderful family that work hard together and get things done.
I love their channel. Stay strong. You can do it .
Six months SNOW flies - Six months BLACK flies!
We are in Belgium and we alway think about rain. Suit up and keep good coverings on your equipment.
Depends on the location. We love our summer off grid home.
Alaska seems gloomy, damp and rainy. Not for me!
If you can’t take the summer I can’t imagine the winter! The idea of something is a nice dream until you hit reality. Its a learning lesson. Good luck with the future!
😢 off grid seems tough
This particular version feels tough to us for sure! But not every off grid cabin and life is this rustic, and we’re newbies to the off grid world too, there are people like Jon who can make it seem much more doable!
Compared to winter 42 and rainy is glorious
Most Alaska residents we spoke to were pretty unhappy with the weather as well. Even the fireweed didn’t have a normal summer!
You are So Amazing DIYs
I admire your tenacity!
Off grid 20+ years now and most people's only reference to off grid living is a camping trip they took or what they see in YT videos.
The day to day life of an off gridder is full of chores/tasks that we have to do to survive and thrive. We are not playing around and if you don't take care of those tasks you are really risking your and your families lives.
In Alaska or where I live in the Rockies has some serious challenges you must be prepared for whether it is the wildlife, weather, resupplying, health or isolation.
You don't have to go off in to the wild o be off grid and you can be off grid anywhere even in the city and living away from civilization creates a lot of risks.
Good luck and if you don't make it in Alaska consider some land near a town where you have moderate weather and less risk.
20 Years off grid! That's awesome! Earlier in this series we mentioned that Alaska is just our learning grounds for the summer, we're not planning on staying in AK for winter. This is a "semester abroad... off grid" kinda thing. We will learn as much as we can hands on and then head back to our Off Grid Property "Sunny Mt" to build our off grid homestead there.
Where are the kids? Real off grid families all worked together. They don’t work, they don’t eat…..
Oh this was click bait.
I know it was raining but one thing you can do for hot baths is heat stones over a fire and put them in a tub with water and it will heat the water.
I believe that's the process of trying something new. Make a mistake and learning from them. I mean that's what life's all about. Thank you guys for sharing You guys are inspirational.💚🐢💚🐢💚
Hang in there ! I DO wish I had done what YOU Folks are doing when I was your age ! YES i was there in Alaska at Ft Rich and been there since in Ketchican. It's just a "Way of Life" that not all are not willing to do.
You could try off-grid in Hawaii. There's actually some affordable land on Big Island.
The family would definitely love that for a summer!
you must stay focused and you will make it
Hiw about cooking indoors with a camp stove when it's too cold and raining? Use one when the power is out and ut works great just need some ventilation
I lived off grid in a rental. But it had solar panels with batteries, fridge, lights etc. and bathroom and shower( propane heated)was separate. Composting toilet. Water was agricultural not city but filtered. Still couldn’t drink it.
And I’m over here just wondering if all these houses are slabs and how big of a pain in the a is it to deal with water or do you have a crawl space that’s also heated?
Don't quit....Alaska is awesome!!
Super cool video. If I wanted to go off grid, instead of going off grind at once, I would start with max civilisation and then would slowly start to cut things out instead of starting with nothing and building up. Still, great that you have gona to Alaska to gain experience. Very wise. Best of luck!
That part where you said " you can't just, cook breakfast ". I busted out laughing. It's a mantra on our offgrid farm. Nothing is done easily, everything is a pain in the behind. It gets easier or it may just be a matter of getting used to things being hard. Unfortunately you tube has glamorized off grid so much everyone thinks all they have to do is go off grid and all their problems will be fixed. Nothing could be further from the truth. It doesn't just apply to alaska either. Most people that go offgrid fail.
Yeah, I feel very similar about how Off Grid Life is portrayed by most (...but not all) media! Part of why we dove into the off grid challenge was to see for ourselves first hand if it's all what we were seeing in the media, and we for sure learned some things were NOT what we were expecting!
@Homesteadyshow Ha! Same here. I'm still learning and we're 11 yrs in. First we where concentrating on being a dairy farm but that failed just because of the sheer amount of electricity you need for coolers and refrigerators. Actually most of our business endeavors on the farm failed solely because we can't supply the amount of electricity for coolers, refrigerators, running ac units. And we have a 7kw system. Mentally it's really hard watching small ongrid farms succeed and thrive and the only thing holding you back is your limited electricity. I think people forget how easy electricity makes everything.
Oh man, this is one of my biggest concerns! We have been farming on grid a long long time, and don’t know how much our normal process is dependent on the grid power!
@Homesteadyshow It determines everything. Even for instance, we're building an apartment above our barn for our son. But electricity is holding it up. Down the rd if y'all would like the kids to have their own place on the homestead that's another whole solar system. Things like additions on the the house, that's more electricity. No clothes dryer. It makes, the farm making money very, very hard. This spring I'm trying a you pick flower farm. It should work. I told hubby if this doesn't I give up & I'm just gonna go get a regular job somewhere.
Why anyone would want to go live in Alaska is beyond me let alone off grid, but to each their own
I see no wood burning stove inside... Thats gotta be the numero uno mistake.
I as a semi life long alaskan will never live in a house without one, as its not a house, its a shed.
ALL of life in alaska is about preperation.It takes weeks to get anything here, and If you skip a step, youll know it...
Alaskans are a different Breed, and we know it.
This made me laugh so much 😂 city people are funny when they touch grass😂
I'm sure you have a good reason for not just moving the propane eye inside and cook there. Then move it back outside when finished.
Did I miss something? Why are we not using the wood stove? A must have even in Pennsylvania off grid.❤😊
im living off grid in dense woodsland
Two elements must be built in, a kitchen inside and preferably a bathroom inside, or a temporary inside for harsh weather. im.not a professional at this, just a guy who wanted cabin life
im not in Alaska for that very reason. It was 20f a few days ago, i lounged in shorts because i.made certain to have heating that functions without much worry.
i put in R19 insulation in my walls. my cabin is 12x32, which for one person its castle for several people, bigger is better. i laid out dorm style , meaning ktichen dining and queen size bed is in one area, i built a bathroom with standard plumbing. having a process to compost what small waste i create. i built a normal.shower.
i took a rv camper as a reference for my build, setting up my off grid similar to a camper components
having two ways to power my house, one 12v solar second 110v power inverter from a propane generator. where i live i get decent sun and not as cold as alaska
you need to really research and learn your best options for your safety. comfort and relaxation enjoyment.
i love outdoor cooking, so i build a firepit and cook hearth style with cast iron, bake bread in cast iron dutch oven, its beautiful life to sit by the firepit, but when weather hits, i can easily cook inside because of full kitchen, cooking meals 365 days a year outside just is not practical,
so immediate things in your build is build a kitchen and a bathroom area. get your heating system operational, prioritize the most important things your safety. your sanitary and your well being. then the experience will be good or at least tolerable
Being a frontiersman looks great when you have producers and editors that make it look easy. There's a reason why people no longer do it en masse. It's an extremely hard life.
Last year i bought an undeveloped piece of land, moved across the country, lived off grid with my three dogs and cat until i could get a well and electricity set up. Its tough. I didnt even have a shelter and slept in my car until i had the shell of my house built and could sleep in that. Everyday im still building something and still dont have a bathroom lol.
As you know, weather changes, and there is no guarantee that it will be warm during the summers in Alaska. Alaska weather seem to be determined on La Niña or El Niño. Every 7-10 years it gets really hot in the interior. 90+ degrees interior for at least 2-4 weeks is pretty hot for Alaska, and you can expect that every 7-10 years. So I’m between that timeframe you can have chilly summers like you had experienced here.
You guys meed a local person to help you guys figure things out on what you need to be comfortable inside and outside throughout the summer months in Alaska.
Been looking forward to this adventure on RUclips. Every week I look to see. What happened?
Thats whatcha call a learning curve.
Should start in spring .
When I think "off grid" I think "not RELIANT on the grid" not "no electricity, no running water". I agree with others; you're not living off grid, you're camping.
We had a well and a solar system with battery bank. We personally don’t have these things when we go camping, but everyone is different!
Best husband in the world..... preparing a hot bath for wifey, so endearing. Great on you guys. new subs.