It Changed Our Mind. Living Rustic Off Grid Life in the Alaska Wilderness
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- Опубликовано: 2 мар 2024
- We head to an Off Grid cabin with no connection to the outside world... except for a certain railroad.
Will we love being cut off from society? Or miss it too much?
BECOME A PIONEER
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This series has been so epic. What a blast following along learning and growing with Aust, K, and the family.
Beautiful family! I have to mention this ... For anyone looking for a life partner, a mate, a better half - 1. You have to enjoy one another's company,. 2. Respect each other. and #3. Truly love being together. Thank you both for being an example.
Oh how wonderful. I’m 75 years this May. I was born and brought up in Lincolnshire England. We didn’t have running water, we had a water pump just like this, than we collected our water in a bucket. For a bath once a week we had a metal bathtub in the front room in front of the fire. Mum first then me then my brother and last my dad. We had an outhouse as a toilet. It had wooden boards with 2 round holes that you sat on. (Never did understand why 2.)Under the boards were metal bins that got emptied each week by men. Into a big lorry. We also had gas lighting and oil lamps that we walked upstairs with and not forgetting candles. 😂😂😂nearly off grid. Love your videos. These are great fun. Thank you. Will now get back to watching the rest of the fun ahead.
Your comment is the best!!!
My grandparents lived the same way in North Carolina way into the mid-50's. I remember how excited and happy my grandmother was when they finally got a bathroom added onto the house. I was a big city raised kid and always felt like I was camping when I went there to visit in the summers, hated that outhouse. They raised 11 kids in that house and little by little over the years got it all modernized.
@@loisaustin6200 Terrifying at night. But we did have guzunders, (under the bed pots to use at nighttime). 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@juliaquance8673 We called those nighttime bed pots "slop jars" lololo. Us kids had to take turns emptying them the next morning and of course we fussed about having to do it.
@@loisaustin6200 Oh yes, I forgot about that. Yuk.
I think having the covered porch helps a lot. You can be outside in the rain and stay dry/clean. If it was screened in to keep the bugs out, it makes it even more pleasant.
I think the important thing isn't the grid/off-grid questions....it's that your family decided to TRY something and committed a significant amount of energy to it and experienced something. I can feel the cold fresh water from that pump and it reminds me of my childhood when my own family tried things, too. Beautiful.
As a person with no kids and no plans for kids, so maybe it doesn't matter as much, but I really appreciate your perspective on balancing the wants and needs of your children over your ideals. I feel like sometimes parents don't always think like that and it's great to see.
You are terrific parents - look at how happy your kids are, you are teaching them valuable life lessons- not setting them in front of s tv, phone or computer screen! It would be a better world if more children were raised this way 👍🏻💖
Dishes and toilets are the biggest struggle living off grid. I love that every video in this series has a nod to that.
I would think laundry would be the hardest, especially for a family the size of this one. It has to be an ongoing, constant job keeping clothes clean with that many young ones.
@@loisaustin6200 oh yeah it can be tough but definitely not more so than dishes and pooping. I go to a laundromat (40+ miles away) so that feels separate from my off grid chores. I think this summer we’re gonna try using one of those portable washers and the clothesline.
@@fitmissjes
There are lots of RUclips videos about washing clothes in 5 gallon buckets. One system uses a second inner 5 gal bucket with large holes drilled in it. Think half dollar size. The inner bucket with the holes can be used as a plunger to push the water through the clothes and then works as a drainer. after rinsing the clothes you put them in the bucket with the big holes that is tied to a rope hanging from a tree or something and simply twist a lot. when you let go of the rope the water spins out. don't stand next to it while it is spinning or you will get very wet very fast.
I live off grid. I haul in my water, haul out my waste & garbage. Haul in groceries too. Dishes aren't too bad. Laundry is a pain. It takes many containers of water which have to be hauled in and its heavy. You have to wash, wring out excess water, put them in a basket or tote, wash some more, wring out excess, put that batch in your tote or basket, and wash some the last load. Wring out the excess water and put the clothes in a tote or basket. Now empty the wash tub, rinse, and refill with fresh water. Now rinse your towels/linens, then your light color clothes, then your dark color clothes, then your jeans. When it's all rinsed, then you hang up all the clothes on the clothesline. As things dry, you take them down. Fold or put on hangers, and put things away where they belong.
@@denisewilson8367 we haul in water too. 70-100 gallons a week. I think on average dishes is a 5 gallon chore. Sometimes less but it’s a lot to get them cleaned and rinsed. I’ve always hated doing dishes so having it on hard mode is the worst.
We haul laundry to the laundromat, which is a pain and $100+ a month. I’ve seen online these mini travel washers which I might try in the summer.
My take, having lived in Alaska, is that the guy who lived there 100 years ago didn't not only mind the train coming by, but deliberately bought and built there by the tracks, in order to be able to have supplies dropped off to him at his doorstep. Caveman-day Uber or whatever everyone in the city uses these days.
I recognize that lake ❤ 10 years ago, my husband and I relaxed by that lake on our ten year anniversary trip. I love watching these off grid videos of yours; takes me back to a time of unimaginable beauty that just cannot be fully captured on camera. Something we hope to capture on our own land someday soon. Thank you for sharing your journey ❤
The choice for pro or anti electricity, should not revolve around smart devices: Even if you have electricity, you can choose to plan a schedule of when you use those devices and when you don't. For example: first thing in the morning - no devices. For schooling - sometimes you need to do research - use them, but for reading, writing, and art - you don't use them - depending on the project. Recess - break time - depends on the weather -- bad weather, get to use them for a certain time period, good weather - go outside without them. Evenings: plan family connect time -- games, puzzles, plays, talking, hand crafts, etc. But also have a time slot for choice time- everyone gets to choose. When you have a large family - having water all the time and electricity available as needed - makes a big difference in how you can maintain the lifestyle. My friend lived with gas powered fridge and hot water heater, and oil lamps for many years, then they added a generator - esp. for winter time, before electricity was finally brought into the house. She still goes to town to do the laundry -- but she only had one child. I enjoyed watching your family adjust to the different situations.
I think it's well worth remembering that what is fun on a holiday is not real life day-to-day. You're on holiday now, this is in no shape or form "real life" day to day. And it's all fun and games until someone gets properly ill, or someone needs a social life beyond the family, or just .. groceries run out and you're snowed or mudded in.
And winter. That's a whole 'nother matter.
No matter what size family, water is essential, with this big a family, running water in the cabin is a MUST !!! When I bought my property and cleared it, getting a well was done BEFORE ANYTHING else. Drought put me back over 6 months before well drillers could get to me, it was that back in Ga. summer 1986
Wow, what an awesome opportunity and learning experience! The way the kids reacted and "fell back" into that game by lantern light immediately just proves how naturally our minds can adapt to different environments. When the kids are "deprived" of the electricity and wi-fi, they innately resort to running and playing with sticks, interacting with one another, and having real fun. Fires replace screens. Getting water becomes not a chore, but an event. Pulling the wagon is exciting, not just work to be loathed and looked at with contempt and predetermined agony.
I think you guys hit the nail on the head when you mentioned balance. Everything requires balance, and nature is always working towards that goal. Whether it is in screen time, our diets, overworking ourselves, or living a sedentary lifestyle, we have to find that natural balance between the good and the bad, because too much of either side can become unhealthy.
The fact that you all got to experience each of these different scenarios is great. The only down side I could see was the packing up and relocating multiple times aspect. That is a feat in itself, and with a large family, especially challenging. I'm not sure what the actual time frame was in each place, but not being able to truly "settle in" each time must have been exhausting, mentally and physically. I, for one, am excited to see you go back to the dreaded A-Frame! Looking forward to more of this spectacular adventure!
Is there more in-depth content available for Pioneers? Also, how did you locate and facilitate all of these different moves? Is there a single source to use, or was it more of an old school method? If that would be too detailed for public I'd understand, I'm just curious. Thanks! I hope everyone is well! -Dusty
Dusty, love your insights man! I was excited to hear what you thought of this one! I can become very one sided, K is the ground back to center that keeps us in the sweet spot usually. Yes… the packing up and relocating east the worst part, but worth it to see and taste so many different off grid setups! But by the time we went back to the Dreaded A Frame we were just happy to be in 1 place a while 😅 pioneer library is LOADED with more in depth stuff. Full length interviews (YT gets the highlight reel but for serious minded homesteaders who when the whole hour+) and some classes and courses and videos that don’t make it to YT. Plus our monthly livestream which we would love to have you a part of! We do a QnA with pioneers each month. Thanks for being a part of the Homesteady Community Dusty!
@@Homesteadyshow You're exactly right about K being the force that keeps your team centered. Her ability to rationalize the laundry concept as an expression and value of time is ingenious, and a lot of people who imagine an off grid lifestyle don't factor in things like that. Sure, your life may be "simplified" by not having certain distractions, but your necessary chores may take 3-4 times longer to do than what you're accustomed to. It takes a certain breed of people to not only adapt to, but thrive in that type of situation.
Kudos to you both, and your kids, for exploring the options and seeing what resonates the best for your individual and family needs. You could have chosen to just sample one type of off grid lifestyle, but if you had, it may have tainted your visions of what was possible.
And thanks so much for taking us along. The value that us, as viewers get from this is immeasurable.
Speaking of immeasurable.... the sheer volume of content your have here on YT is staggering, it's hard to imagine how much more content (and time investment) you have into the Pioneer program, but I can't wait to dive into it! *I'm going Pro* [puts on sunglasses dramatically]. [Fade out].
Hello from Willow Alaska! Enjoyed this one. It was so foreign to us that you had never used the hand pump. It was the highlight of all our childhood camping trips. #1 kid priority…go find the water pump! #2 make mom a dish sink with rocks at the edge of the lake. What a blessing for you guys to experience the joy of living in the woods. Be blessed sweet friends. 💕
LOVING your adventure... I hate not seeing homesteady on a regular basis but so happy to see your family evolve in this great commitment to a life change.
Thanks 😊 and thanks for being patient for each episode. They do take a long time to make, glad you are enjoying them!
ITS so worth the wait! Love your fam!@@Homesteadyshow
One thing I think you guys are missing is the winter experience.... the cabins being small will make more sense after you heat one with wood.
Easy way to think about it is for every square foot you add you will need to cut and split an extra log, so if you add 100 square foot you will be cutting and splitting 100 more logs to heat that area.
Exactly.
Sooooooo good to see a video from you. I’ve missed watching you regularly. I’m 77 and live with my son and watch you on his utube channel and tv. I hope you come back to making videos again no matter where or what your do now. I think your a great family and you make great informative and and family videos and you are guninue and natural in your presentations. Please come back on a regular bases. Even if just one a month. Utube needs more content makers like
You. Thanks for this video. Mimi
Alaska Railroad is one Last "whistle stop trains", That train was the lifeline to this cabin. All you needed to do is to go out near the tracks and wave and the train would have stopped and picked you up to take you anywhere further down it's path. Many a cabins have been built (likely this one included) using the train to transport building materials, fishing boats, hikers, fisherman and homesteaders have used that train to take them home or to where ever they needed go....... More than likely that train was traveling through this country long before the road was built giving access to this cabin. If you truly want to learn the most you can about Alaskan off grid living you will need to leave your lower 48 mentality behind......
Off Grid with Doug and Stacy have an Outdoor Kitchen for the summers when it is hot as well as a home kitchen for winter. It depends on how off grid you want to go. I have enjoyed the series 👍...
Brought back good memories of my childhood, we lived like this, railroad tracks and the bay behind us in northern New Brunswick Canada 🇨🇦 had great grandparents, and awesome food to eat, we created our own fun as life was much simpler then! Thanks for the memories ❤
My definition of "off grid" is being able to survive if the internet and all other public utilities went dark, regardless of whether I was connected to them or not.
Septic, well and/or rain water collector, solar with batteries and backup generator, goats/chickens/veggie garden.
It definitely does _not_ mean the absence of appliances.
I am learning SO much about myself thru this video series! My big takeaway from this particular episode has to do with unplugging and the impact of technology. I don't have to go "off grid" to simply put away the tablets, phones, laptops, ect. I loved that your kids wanted to play a board game and go swimming. And the comment about using tech and conveniences in a way that assists us vs driving us - very powerful thoughts. Thanks so much for these great vlogs!!
That makes me smile! It is a big takeaway we had from this whole experience. Being in control of our tech is important, not the other way around!
THIS! ☝ Not having electricity isn't what makes life simple...I remember being a kid and we had electricity yet I played outside ALL DAY..its all the other things that you can do with electricity now...mainly it's having access to internet 24/7. Kids even eat their meals with a tablet or phone these days. What if it was the internet that was limited...like it just wouldn't turn on for more than an hour a day or something like that.
We've been off grid 18 years, and water over solar is definitely a priority. Also, a heat source propane or wood, whatever works best.
Smashing pennies on the tracks, brought back some great memories.
You can heat water with propane for bathing, washing. FYI, the Alaska Railroad does not connect to any other railroad. Early pioneers arrived via steamship.Most came to mine gold...I think homesteading was a later endeavor. Likely anyone homesteading on your recreational rental property there came after the RR. And, even today, building supplies come up from the Lower 48 by barge.I have enjoyed your series!
You are giving your kids amazing experiences.
I love how you threw yourselves into it and how you're learning and thriving, despite the challenges. Resilient and happy people are just as contagious as weak and spiteful people are. We should celebrate play and cooperation and curiosity and I certainly praise you for putting some good stuff up on RUclips.
Your kids are so precious!! Can't believe how much the baby has grown!!
I grew up off the grid in the interior of Alaska. A Family of 16 kids. It gets way colder in the interior then by the coast with temperatures dropping to -40s and -60s every winter. But we did have everything set up to where we had a washer and dryer. A water well that had running water when the generator was on.. Our power source was a big generator to run the major stuff and recharge the battery banks. It was a very cool experience and we all grew up not afraid of being left in the woods lol. But trust me when I say, summertime off grid living is soooo much easier then the winter at -40. Good luck on your journey. We definitely enjoy watching your series 😊
I moved back down south in the autumn of 2019 after the better part of 15 years in Alaska. I couldn't afford to stay and make it comfortable and do the things i wanted to do such as having animals and gardens. It was harder than i wanted life to be as a single woman who still needed to work full time. The winter chores with animals are soul crushing, even WITH water and power! I desperately miss the camping, hiking and fishing of Alaska, but I'm much happier homesteading down south where i can garden 10 months of the year and have family surrounding me. Huge respect for actually heading up and exploring this option, but winter and animal care is a whole other ball game.
Love your videos of off grid Alaska. I lived off grid near timberline in the Rockies when I was 19-20. Outdoor pump, outhouse, heated with pot bellied stove. I cooked on a cast iron wood burning cookstove. Sometimes in winter it got so hot in that log cabin, I had to open the door even when it was below freezing outside. No electricity, no TV. (We didn't have tablets and internet in those days - 1969.) I just loved it. I guess sometime I grew up and moved back on the grid. Here's what I learned: If you play frisbee outdoors in below zero weather the frisbee will freeze and break into pieces when you throw it. Also my dogs would hunt all winter and bring their kills to the front of the cabin to eat. Snow covered the bones. When snow melted in about June, a big pile of bones appeared in front of the cabin. We didn't call it "off grid." We were just living an adventure. "We" would be friends in nearby cabins - I had my own cabin - sometimes with a boyfriend, sometimes alone. Wishing my grandsons would try it, but no chance. But if you spend most of your time just working on surviving, you stay healthy. You have to, to survive.
Such a cool experience for your kids, this will be in their memory forever. It's a beautiful thought 😊
I hope you guys keep in mind just how soon all your kids will grow up and move out. I built a mansion and ended up selling it only a few years latter after all the kids left and it was a burden to maintain and clean. Your kids will adapt to any environment you raise them in. But what you build now may be your forever home in the future and If you think about the maintenance cleaning and expense of a home, having a big one really in my way of thinking wasn't worth it!
I never had any children myself but I did a lot of child care over the years. Including many socioeconomic levels. Something I noticed about the families was that the smaller the home size, the closer the families were to each other. Too large of a house where everyone has their own room and bathroom means no one ever sees each other and they are not taught to share and get along with each other. This family has their priorities in order.
Dude.... gotta say. your hair. Love it.
Also, it take a specific personality to even try this kinda stuff with kids. respect to you all. God bless
Great series! My wife and I have lived off-grid on and off for 20 years prior to 2016. We moved off grid completely remote in the Yukon Territory in 2018. We enjoyed your videos, and seeing you guys go through a lot of the same challenges we did. After 8 years we would never move back on grid or to a city. It forced us to be closer and less reliant on the outside world. It is an amazing learning experience and not only physically but mentally and spiritually. There are lessons every day if you are open to learn. Thanks for sharing, I wish we had video taped our adventure.
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL.
Off grid 9 years, were going back on w solar back up. we found our kids enjoyed or adjusted to it while young but as my girls became teens a lot fell apart. I dont regret it, however...... if i had to do it again im not so sure. Great series
This was so fun. I couldn't help but laugh. Great job. Water should always come first. Just Saying. You all got it down. Life is about Balance.💗❤💯
Really enjoying your Alaska adventures. I saw at cabin C you had the game Settlers of Catan, one of our favorites!
Thanks for sharing.
Kelly - new subscriber
Great adventure. Thanks for sharing with us. I'm sure your kids will never forget it.
Reminds me of growing up in the 90s except it was reversed for us morning was very busy taking care of the animals on the farm starting the day packing lunches showering quickly before work or school. But dinner was a leisurely hour to hr and a half long because everyone talked laughed caught up and just relaxed. Then after we cleaned up as quickly as possible and everyone helped including the kids. We would all go to the living room and if it was winter we would light the fire and maybe poppop would play an instrument and sing or tell a story. Or some nights we would all do our own things their could be card games. Reading knitting kids playing with toys someone sleeping by the fire.
You are raising strong resilient children!
Another great video! I'm excited to catch up with you in real time. What is life like now? I would love a live update over in the Pioneers group!
I'm so excited to see the next video!
A lot of good thoughts - as was mentioned, it is all about balance...which is more often than not difficult to achieve. Quite enjoying this series.
This is a textbook example of how important building design and orientation is to the usability of the space. It looks like all the big windows have roofs over them, this cuts the light coming through the windows in half. Utilizing the natural light is critical when you are trying to minimize artificial light sources.
So glad this video wasn't Aust exploding himself with gas lighting. How did you convince Kay to go here after the less-than-great A-frame experience? Sister complains brother is showing off pumping water, then she gets in the cart for brother to pull. 🤣So few people realize that a hot shower in your home is luxury, let alone how much time running water, electricity, and appliances save. Interesting how Kay's idea of off-grid living has evolved to now include a sauna.🥰
For "cabin coffee," you do have a few good options. The percolator is the most rustic, but that's best only if you like your coffee With Pulp. The pourover is also good, if a bit time consuming. My personal choice is the moka pot. Makes good strong coffee, and reasonably fast.
We all need to learn to enjoy the process of things. It’s been lost in our modern society.
Beautiful video. So inspiring!! Loved it
Another great episode! Thanks for sharing your beautiful life.
Great editing and music! Love the scenery. Thank you!
Honestly off grid doesnt mean tiny house, nor does it mean having no amenities either. You can have a solar set-up and run appliences pretty normally, just a limited amount of em, sustainable/energy effecient etc
Wow! That’s Awesome! Cheers for more incredible and exciting globetrotting adventures!🥂❤️✨
Wonderful video
Thank you both so much for the information/ entertainment you have provided and continue to!! You guys rock !
Thanks so much for watching and being a part of the community Luke!
Have to admit real bathrooms, is my red line. I can live without a lot of things, but refuse to live without comfortable use-able bathrooms with hot running water, and at least a second toilet and sink, if not a 2nd whole bathroom when there is more than 2 people in the house. I know everyone has different lines, that's mine, tho I would prefer solar so I can use my digital canner, because I prefer it, not that I need it. We all have our preferences.
Thank you for sharing this with the world. The fact you’re amazing parents and people I’m sure you’ve been told a million times. This is all true. What I want to give you props for is your amazing story telling skill. The way videos are created is amazing. Beside tons of info. It was a wonderful experience watching this. Very enjoyable. We’ll done
I feel like I just watched a great movie and can’t wait to watch sequel.
Thank you very much for this.
How would this cabin rank if it had rained as much as the A frame? Really enjoy watching the thought process between you two. Most people talk at each other not with each other. Kudos.
It would 100% be better than the Aframe, because of 2 things… working wood stove AND covered porch. But still would be a challenge with a lot of rain!
Lol 😆... Buddy had a positive outlook because he doesn't have to do the washing 🤣 and dishes everyday 🤣 love 💘 your family
But honestly Solar with water 💧 in order to have a washing machine. I think if you had that mommy would be happier. Because you do have a big family 👪
Oh thank goodness, a wood stove!
You guys are making great memories! I grew up partially off grid and now as adults my siblings and i love to look back at our experiences and wish our kids were growi g up the same. Personally i think water is more important then electricity. I also think that wrap around porch is very important. What if the weater wasn't good? You would still be able to use that extra outside space. Remember the A frame and the tarp for a roof? Also rember back at home you wouldnt have so much time to relax. Chores and animals and watering animals. Blessings! Loving this series ❤
My children love gaming (2 adult children) and 3 under 11, I only let the little ones have 'game day' twice a week, on a Friday and a Saturday. I don't let them have any other screen time all week long, despite the complaining and begging. On Friday and Saturday they have quite a lot of time e.g. Friday after school until 8 p.m .and Saturday from 9 a.m. until the afternoon or even later sometimes. They are often quite rowdy on a Sunday but they have time to recover from the screen time before they go back to school on a Monday. I have found this works best for our family, the big break in between having screen time has resulted in lots of trips to the library and a veracious appetite for books!! : ) They also do extra cirricular activites during the week and lots of exercise.
We had a similar screen schedule growing up, video games were on the weekends only. It did push us outside more midweek, and to more things like board games and books too. It is something K and I are experimenting with now too!
I have two toasters like that on top of our wood burning stove just gathering dust.
Love what you are showing us.
Thank you!
The toast was perfect though! 😋
I have absolutely enjoyed this series. I just dont want it to end! I feel like all these videos should get more views. Not just a couple of them. Come on youtube!... Anyways, look forward to the next episode in your alaska off grid challenge. 🙂👍
We have a cabin up in Minnesota that’s right smack in the middle of 100 foot eastern white Pines. It’s very dark in the cabin so we put a skylight in the kitchen and it helped a lot. You have to decide if you would like sunshine or massive trees close by I choose the trees because there aren’t very many left as tall as ours. For some reason, the loggers missed our spot and forgot to come back the next year or something because ours is the only property that has them left. I love those chairs. U2 are sitting in in front of the woodstove.❤ why don’t you make yourself a funnel out of a piece of tin or plastic or even cardboard or a paper plate to help you fill up that big water jug then you won’t have to hold it up toward the faucet. It would ruin my peace if I had a train running by my house even one time a day. The train is way too close to the house for me.
Yup...you guys are nuts!
I live in Talkeetna it was -2°f and i filled my thermos with water fresh from the spring. I am not off-grid but the water is worth the stop.
20 years off grid.had a sauna and gravity shower built around the stove that heated the cabin.rain gutters keep me in water.compost toilet attached to the house I think good.everything freezes in Alaska in winter,so prep is important.most people have trouble with short days in winter.I save a lot of money living in a dry cabin.not for everyone.joy to you.
"With out the internet we weren't sure how we would do as a family" 🤦♂️ if your family cant exist without the internet, you have roommates not a family. Glad you figured out its not really a big deal, more people could learn that lesson in 2024.
Little House in the Prairies. When you think about it, living like this makes you think how spoiled we are today. 🤠
I believe these types of places are great to visit to help us with perspective. What do we want in our lives and how much. Because we have the choice. The children will benefit from enjoyable vacations to location like these, but probably would want to get away from it if they we raised there. It is best just to introduce them to this style of living, so they can appreciate where they were raised. I was 12 years old when we got power and running water, I swore I would never live without them again. And I haven't. I live in a warm house on the same property and appreciate every minute of it. My parents had the vision for this property and I am caring it forward. My oldest son lives in the house I grew up in. I am not sure he has the same view. He had power and water when he was born. Perspective + knowledge + experience = wisdom. Thanks for sharing this journey.
OMG. I just started watching video - I have a cabin and every time I go I have to redo - repair- replace- something!!!!!
What about hauling water in the snow? The outhouse said “no paper” on the sign…what do you wipe with? Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes that cause heart worms will be major problems if you don’t Vet your animals (not an accusation, just wondering if you do). Alaska is certainly a beautiful serene place!!! Your videographer does a nice job capturing your family scenes.
Sleds for the snow and… wipe with paper just don’t throw it into the hole…
OmgI would LOVE it!!!!!!!
This was the best of the off grid videos. Good job guys I would love to be disconnected and off grid like that. Internet and phones are way overrated.
Heyyy, nice to see you👋.
I watched some of the Alaskan Railroad the show.
The people would hike out to the train and get picked up.
A good thing to have near by,if only there was a schedule 🤔🤭.
Im so glad you could be outside with no rain 🎉.
Skeeters?
It will be interesting to see what you decide to do ❤.
It seems like by the third woodsy house your better aclimated,great job family 👍💪🤗.
Screen time!
JO JO IN VT 💞
I can sure commiserate with the kids not being on board. We are a homeschooling family with six children, working our way toward homesteading in bigger and bigger ways. The kids love our farm and love being outside but sometimes the extra work, inconvenience, or change (like in the taste of food) causes bad attitudes and hurt feelings. We added a dairy cow this year and several of the kids have had a hard time with that which has OFFENDED me 😂. All in all, it’s just family life, right?! It’s good for kids to learn to roll with the punches and trust momma and dad to do what’s best. ❤. Blessings to you all as you make decisions going forward!
As someone who has been living without water for the past 4 months, I can honestly say, I can live with out the power and couch toilets but not being able to have a shower or bath after working all day on the farm sucks. We are working now on getting water on the homestead.
are you a camel? how come you're not dead without water for 4 months
sure everything takes awhile, but whats the rush ? thats the beauty of it and the work is the time to be together doing chores with someone is way better then doing it solo plus more hands mean less work
The other thing to consider is you’ve got animals and the need to feed yourselves and all that entails on top of the requirements to run a household that is off grid.
I watched a cabin video that had a really nice outhouse, it had windows and a light for whenever in use….
What impressed me is that it also had a mini-wood stove for those cold winters, the stove was the type used in the ‘hot tents’
I am on team water for the future cabin, you can heat water to bath or wash in.
I am not sure but some cultures and I think such bathtubs exist in Alaska, but they have a little wood stove under or beside the bathtub that heats the water before any use.
I think you could do the same concept for showers as well, just have a water tank beside the shower with a ‘fire box’ at the bottom of the tank. Start the fire a few hours before you want a shower so the water has a chance to heat up, then jump in….
You just need to make sure the tank is full of water before every use.
As for light, you have some ‘modern’ methods, I prefer USB powered lights because they are more reliable than traditional batteries plus solar powered systems for the essentials. I could care less about tv since I only use mine to watch movies or any shows I get from iTunes.
Let the kids know that a baseboll side arm is the way to skip successfully. 🎉
My husband and I have been married 45 years. We are not off grid...BUT...we have a back up system for EVERYTHING!!! We have running water AND a hand pump; electricity and kerosene lamps; central heat/air and a wood stove in the living room and kitchen both. If anything happens...we just switch techniques. Periodically we deliberately use the back up system so it never becomes foreign to us.
This is the perfect example of balance in the pursuit of independence 👌 love it Norma!
I was born into the world living like that "literally off grid." Absolutely nothing, but a one room cabin. Enjoy ❤
I believe a lot of us had grandparents who lived like that way into the 50's for some, at lease those from the southern states did. Much like this only without the snow and freezing temperatures. I grew up in town, then the big city, but my mother the oldest of 12 kids talked a lot about how hard times were. She said they always had plenty of homegrown food but clothes, toys, and shoes were hard to come by back then for poor farming folks with huge families.
Come out to Hatchers Pass sometime 👍👍👊
I don’t know if you are still reading these comments but I have a few ideas for you. I lived in Alaska with young kids , every summer we went to western Canada. We had the 3-5 kids see who could start a fire without matches. Boats can be made with anything that floats to see which one sails best. Overnighting outside with a tarp can be fun for the older kids. A book that I read out loud to all was “ A Strange Companion “ . It is still available. A wonderful tale. Even my husband hid himself in the cab of the truck so he could hear too! Any fish in that lake?
I always read the comments. The best way to stay in touch with the community and great place to find gems like books to checkout 😉
"Off grid" to me means not having to pay the main utility monopolies. It doesn't mean no utilities. It means discovering other options to achieve the same thing... such as hot spotting from your phone vs a cable bill.
Even when things are going well here in Alaska. It can still be a very harsh road. We are wanting to move to a larger piece of land down south in the woods. Start a small family farm. Found some nice wooded lots for sale at great prices. I wish we cld have moved out of here long ago. I've only grown to dislike the Cold, Snow and Icy roads we drive on bout 8 months a year. Believing for a better life with way more warmth and much forest edibles and herbs. Good to see you have it a whirl. Alaska the place that can break a wealthy family financially sometimes in some other ways as well. In Just 1 winter or Less. It's beautiful but I wld want to stay here. 52 years. I'm done. But can only live on at least 20 acres of woods down south out of a small town a ways. We will build a small 5 to 7 acre farm inside a 20 + acre forest. Hopefully bigger. We'll Bless and Be Blessed. Read and Pray Always.
We Are homesteading, started off with nothing totally off grid and now semi off grid, got some things like well and electicity, but no refrigerator or appliances. I miss my washing machine most lol
My off grid (or perhaps by your rating, off, off, off grid?) cabin is no running water, no electricity, no cell service--and no road. You have to canoe across a lake to get to the cabin. It is lovely, but it is a camp. For a week--maybe two--it is marvelous, but I wouldn't want to be that isolated and need to work that hard to exist all the time. It is great to disconnect and be without screens for a while, but coming home is nice too. Washing machines are amazing, as are flush toilets!
I could do just fine without electricity the only part of that I would have a hard time with is washing clothes. But I would find it. Very hard to not have access to hot water. Candles,propane lanterns for light and a wood stove for heat and cooking work well. But hot water for a bath and for washing dishes and cleaning I would not like to do without. I like that little propane burner you made your coffee on also.
Water is ALWAYS #1!
You can live without electricity, but not water. A place to go potty is #2, no matter what type.
When we sold our home and most of our stuff, we moved ito tge middle of town in our office yard in a 19 foot camp approximately 60 feet from the 4 track train yard. At night the trains would sit next to us and idle. At first it would be terrifying then it became our lullaby.
Curious what your opinion on this cabin would be in the Alaskan winter, as cold weather is the, majority of the year than warmer weather. Beautiful there, thanks for sharing! 😊
Oh boy, dragging kids into this hustle dream off-grid it's tough, it's interesting but they need more of a homestead life before jumping into Off-grid. They do not struggle that hard because of their exited but at some point become exhausted. And gets worse and worse 🤦🏽♀️
We had a handpump watering system on our farm when I was younger.
I met the hand pump in West Virginia😊
We used to have screen free days when the kids were at home.
BTW your baby looks exactly like Daddy without the Mustach!