Job change and Questions (Kenai, Kodiak: rent, how much, motel)

[spotted owl]

There is a job transfer comming and I am in line for this one. It is a 5-6 year minimum durration on the Co end and possible term until retirement on my end. After visting on the summer a few times and the winter a few times We are very interested in this opportunity.

A couple questions first though.

Church, are there any authorized KJV preaching Baptist churches around? Are ther any church radio stations that are recieved?

Right now we use wood for our sole source of heat. Winter in our little hole drops up to 30" of snow(the most I have seen anyhow) and frequent temps as low as 8* for 13 days running, Average is 18" to 24" snow and 20* to 28*. I realize construction and wether play the major roll here, but how many cords would you expect to use heating a 3500sqft 1910 farm house like we have now. At current here we run between 9 and 12 cord per year depending on how hot the family wants the house and how much in and out they do. Also what is the avalability of wood, how long does it take to season in your climate for newly dropped green fir, what species of wood is avalible and how does that burn compared to what we have(alder, doug fir, maple, very little oak, very little madrone,some cherry). Is wood heat a sound idea in that part of the country, I hear lots about oil and would rather stay away if possible.

We also like to farm, how is your growing season for gardening? What do you folks do with farm animals and feed if you have any. At current we raise pigs, goats, beef, rabbits and chickens. The mild season they would have no problem the winter how do you deal with them, here we shelter them from the wind and call it good with plenty of busted water and feed. We have thought of horses for hunting and fishing purposes aswell

We searched the cost of living threads and it seems to be a wash from our end. Some thing higher and some lower, so that is not a major concern of our right now.

Hunting and fishing is a concern for all for of us however. We will not have a plane or a boat of anykind for a bit. How does both of these work for those that must drive to destination and then are moved by foot power?
I have never thought of asking this to anyone before now, but do you have elk in those parts.

Driving do you have or are you getting the Cali drivers that never need studs or chains and blow past and you see later backwards in the ditch? At current I drive a small 2wd toyota pu and have never needed more for a commuter. When the time comes I put on the chains, even though 2wd I have put them on the front also for steering durring ice storms and stroms of freezing rain. I would like to think that those living in your area would be fairly safe winter drivers but not the 10mph type unless the conditions warrent that type of speed.

This job has to possiblities one SE not sure where in that area and the other would be South Central, hoping for the second and living within and hours winter drive from Keni or Soldotna.

The opportunities are about 1 to 1.5 years down the road but the company is getting ready. Like I said Iam on this list and will be getting the family and my self ready aswell.

How is the logging in those parts? I have logged since I was 16 and still do on the side. Is that work still going up there? What are the odds of finding side work. Now I cut for a couple companies on the weekends when the fire danger comes along and their cutters don't want to work 7 days a week. Also set chokers when they need a spot filled on the weekends.


Thankyou for any help


Owl

[Rance]

Pretty much zero logging in south central now, a few years back there was some good activity removing the beetle kill down around Ninilchik and in Cooper Landing.
You can raise pretty much any livestock on the peninsula. Many do in my neighborhood of Sterling.
The only elk I know of reside wild on Kodiak Island. There was an elk farm not far from me in Sterling...but that shut down last year for reasons unknown to me.
Still fair moose hunting in my area as well as sheep and black bear. The sport fishing is great. There are even deer in some areas but you'd need a boat or plane to fly out as they are on islands out of Seward or Whittier and on Kodiak.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by spotted owl

Driving do you have or are you getting the Cali drivers that never need studs or chains and blow past and you see later backwards in the ditch?

Though there are probably no official statistics, my feeling would be that the case is probably the opposite. Most newcomers, including myself when I first arrived, probably tend to be extra cautious driving in their first few winters (some maybe even too cautious, buts that’s another story). Most of the cars you see spun out in the ditch have Alaska plates on them, I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw one with out-of-state plates – though that is not necessarily a good indicator since Alaska has a very low percentage of cars displaying out-of-state plates in the first place due to the physical logistics.

My feeling is that your description above probably applies more to a small percentage of long time Alaska residents who get complacent and need a reminder every now and then that the rules of winter driving don’t become optional just because one qualifies for a PFD. It probably also applies to a select group of life-long native born Alaskans who never learned this lesson either.

Originally Posted by spotted owl

I would like to think that those living in your area would be fairly safe winter drivers but not the 10mph type unless the conditions warrent that type of speed.

Before moving to Alaska, I always thought that way too, but it didn’t take long after moving up here for my opinion to change. Alaska seems to have way more than its fair share of really terrible, discourteous, and outright dangerous drivers - and not just in winter either. There was a recent discussion here about this very topic as well:

News, Anchorage drivers crashing more often, insurer says.

My favorite acronym is simply BAD:
B ad
A laska
D rivers

[spotted owl]

No logging would believe it or not would be rough. My wife thinks I have pitch for blood. That is something that would be missed.

Good to know about the livestock. Farming is something that I use to teach kids how to work and how to be responceable. Now my kids think something is wrong when they have no animals to take care of, so do many of the kids that have stayed with us for any length of time.

Elk would be missed, hunting the others should fill the gap though. With deer being on island, is there boats that will drop and pick for hunting the islands? Or would you have to do the guide thing? Fishing I would think like here, find some water and give'r a try. Just that the fish maybe just a tad different than here with our little brookie mostly other than the steelies.

Driving sounds not terribly different from what we have now. Just seems as if even the smallest bit of commonsence could and would go a very long way. Staying on the road system would a 4wd be manditory or could you get by with a 2wd and studs/chains, like I said I have been laughed at for putting chains on the front just for steering in freezing rain & ice storms. 4wd would be utilized durring the off asphalt times, just that little commuter get so much better milage.


Thanks very much for the info.

The Boss said today that this happening and that I am inline for first pick of either location. Momma is ready and says go ahead on'er she and the kids are pump like I haven't seen in a while. To day she said she booked flights in june 09 for all of us so the kids can see first hand what Alaska is all about. Just like all our vacations up there in the past, fly into Anch, and rent a car an go by seat of the pants, If you find a motel open so be it if not then you sleep in the rig or if nice enough on the ground beside the car.

Damn a year and a half away and momma and me are completly jacked


Thanks

Owl

[elgusano]

There's an elk farm down here near Homer out on the North Fork.

I also saw photographs of Dall sheep supposedly near here, but I've never seen them.

As for churches, there is a KJVO church here in Homer, and there are several KJV preferred churches in the area that also teach from the original languages.

Driving depends upon where you end up. Here in the Homer area, we need 4WD and studs on some of the roads, but here in town and up in Soldotna/Kenai, I've done just fine with 4WD and no studs.