Relocation to Alaska (art)

[nitesun]

Hi Everyone. I kinda have the same question. We want to move to Alaska around the Willow area. We currently live in Idaho Springs, Co. We're coming out to look at some properties in a couple of weeks. We want to be somewhat remote. Is Willow very busy as a tourist spot? Any input would be very much appreciated...Thanks....
P.S. Anyone with a greenhouse, How do they stand up to the weather? I'm new to the greenhouse thing, but love it. It's wonderful to have your own veggies and flowers anytime..

[Marty Van Diest]

busy is relative. Willow is a great place for snowmobiling in the winter and fishing in the summer. So you have a lot of anchorage tourists there. Otherwise, it isn't a destination for out of state tourists.

[Rance]

Put a good steep roof with that corrugated figerglass and it should shed snow or at least make it easy for you to shove or pull it off. You won't be able to grow veggies or flowers year round unless it's well heated and insulated tho.

[nitesun]

Thanks for the thoughts..! I as hoping to heat my greenhouse so I can grow all year.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by nitesun

Thanks for the thoughts..! I as hoping to heat my greenhouse so I can grow all year.

You'll spend a fortune doing that, or a lot of time splitting wood.

[Marty Van Diest]

A greenhouse isn't insulated. So it will take a LOT of energy to heat one all year. Some people grow tomatos and such inside with artificial light.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by nitesun

Thanks for the thoughts..! I as hoping to heat my greenhouse so I can grow all year.

How are you going to keep it heated? Use heating fuel at $4.00 per gallon, or the cheaper natural gas, or firewood? Something else: plants need light to grow, and in Alaska winters are dark and long. It means that you will have to use electric lighting for quite a long time during the winter months, and that will add to the fortune you will have to spend trying to keep it heated. To give you an idea of what I am talking about, just to keep a home warm, warm water for shower, dish washer, and clothes washer (plus the electric bill) had reached an average of $600.00 two months ago for my wife and me. As fuel approaches $4.00 per gallon, we will be paying $800.00 per month on utilities alone, which translates to $9,600 per year. Some of my neighbors are already up to $1,000 per month on utilities.

[arctichomesteader]

The best use for a greenhouse is to start and finish things like tomatoes and other things that are a little slow. Grow enough during the summer and can or freeze enough for the rest of the year.

[DannyL]

Ray....
Sometimes we need to just sit back and let people find out these things for themselves.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by DannyL

Ray....
Sometimes we need to just sit back and let people find out these things for themselves.

That's true. Maybe I just should do exactly that.