I'm considering moving to Alaska. Any tips/advice on the best location to start?

[Metlakatla]

Well, I think the advice to try out the Portland area is good. But you're so young -- you're going to live in a lot of places during your lifetime.

Drinking water in Alaska varies. In the lovely little town of Skagway, for instance, the tap water comes straight from a high glacial lake and is among the coldest, cleanest water on the planet.

The tap water on POW, on the other hand, should not be consumed. Boil it first or buy other water, but that stuff's poison. Seriously, the island has the one of the biggest stomach cancer rates in the country, and I think it's something in that water. Do not drink it if you go there. Rumors are rampant that toxic waste was dumped on the island at one time, and the cancer rates are starting to give that rumor a lot of credence.

The water is going to depend on what part of the state you go to.

Oh -- before I forget, here's another resource for seasonal jobs --

Chamber Home Page Tourism Information Community Start Business Events Klondike Gold Rush Stamp Chilkoot Trail Trace Ancestors Member

I'm thinking that Jewell Gardens in Skagway might be an excellent fit for you as a summer job. Skagway is also a very safe, fun little community, and you could probably find winter work there if you ended up wanting to stay.

By the way, lots of people get started in Alaska by taking summer jobs. It's a good way to explore the state and find out where you fit in the best.

[Dakster]

After reading this thread I think I want to be a tomatoe farmer in AK. I'll bring my own dirt and tomatoe plants too... At that price per pound, I could probably afford a heated greenhouse year round and since they will actually taste good I should be able to get plenty of customers... I am only half joking too...

What other produce should I bring?

[soldn2slavery]

Of course, you'll have to spend a lot on electricity during the winter months for all the grow lights. Oh, and you'll be constantly raided by the DEA because they'll presume you're growing weed.

[Melissa78703]

My sole bit of advice: Don't move to Alaska blind.

In other words, don't move there before you visit. Preferably any other time than the summer months, because that's what Alaska is really like.

I would think that it would be very difficult to be a vegan. A vegetarian, maybe, and if you ate fish, not problem there. But as others mentioned, the produce is mostly poor quality, and what you can get is so expensive, it'll make your jaw drop to the floor. In 2006, I paid $1 for a single lemon. That's ONE lemon. Uno, une.

I first visited Anchorage in late fall, and that gave me a fair idea of what to expect. I moved there in January, in the pitch black dark, LOL! Loved the long winters. You get out far less than you think, that's one thing that I did realize, because summers are so short. The most miserable people I met there were those who moved up there with this idealized vision of what they assumed Alaska was and was not; they were disappointed but, having spent all of their cash getting up there, they had no way to get back except save up for several years. You also have to be prepared for cold, and by that, I mean a relentless Siberian type of cold where you go out doors dressed like Ralphie's little brother.

Alaska is great if you have no preconceived perceptions of it. It worked out pretty well for me in some ways, because I'm an indoors person (a writer), and I had a lot of time to hone my craft.

[richelles]

I both owned and ran several large greenhouses in the deep South. While I lived in Alaska I visited a few greenhouses businesses in and around the Anchorage area during the two Winters I was there. One of my questions was what was the net cost of each square foot of usable growing space? That is the cost of the space, the cost of the structure, the taxes on the first two, the cost of heating during the cold seasons, and general costs associated with each crop. If you want produce during the long Winters you will absolutely need lights which will be an additional cost trying to replace the Sun. Then knowing how much you could produce per square foot in a well run green house in a given amount of time for each crop you would possibly have several such crops per year. But you have to stretch a little and raise enough of each crop each week to provide for the entire year. That will increase expenses by a significant factor. It became apparent you couldn't sell the crop you produced for enough to cover the cost of production. Someone told of buying a single lemon for a dollar. The cost of production of that lemon is something I know quite about about having raised them outdoors in Florida. Even when you're not paying for heat, only paying for part of the necessary water, and picking them yourself the cost isn't free. So living a vegan lifestyle would cost you more than you'd ever believe. If you could get genuine organic produce flown up a tomato would still be worth more than the above described lemon. So as some have suggested go to Alaska during the dark part of the Winter rent a car and a motel room and then go to the local markets and try to buy your daily needs in fresh produce and see if you could actually eat what you can find. Even a simple to find product like a banana has a strange color tastes terrible and if that doesn't discourage you then try the salad makings and see if you can eat that. Being I was used to premium produce I found it bad and there wasn't anyway around the cost and shipping problems. You'd be surprised how good canned goods are when the alternative is what passes for fresh produce up there. Just imagine taking the needed supplies on the airplane you're flying to Alaska and eating that for a week or so. Nuff said.

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by Melissa78703

The most miserable people I met there were those who moved up there with this idealized vision of what they assumed Alaska was and was not.

I drove tour bus for two years between Seward & Denali. We were stopped at Portage one time on a miserable day in July. 40 degrees, wind blowing 30 miles an hour and raining sideways. As we were loading back up, one of the passengers looked miserable. He was soaking wet, under dressed and cold. I was feeling ornery and didn't figure I was getting a tip anyway so I looked at him and with a smirk said: "I'll bet the brochures at the travel agency didn't have pictures of this in it..."

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Dakster

After reading this thread I think I want to be a tomatoe farmer in AK. I'll bring my own dirt and tomatoe plants too... At that price per pound, I could probably afford a heated greenhouse year round and since they will actually taste good I should be able to get plenty of customers... I am only half joking too...

What other produce should I bring?

Don't forget that Alaskans are like tomatoes, plump and juicy

[VibrationOfLight]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Well, I think the advice to try out the Portland area is good. But you're so young -- you're going to live in a lot of places during your lifetime.

Drinking water in Alaska varies. In the lovely little town of Skagway, for instance, the tap water comes straight from a high glacial lake and is among the coldest, cleanest water on the planet.

The tap water on POW, on the other hand, should not be consumed. Boil it first or buy other water, but that stuff's poison. Seriously, the island has the one of the biggest stomach cancer rates in the country, and I think it's something in that water. Do not drink it if you go there. Rumors are rampant that toxic waste was dumped on the island at one time, and the cancer rates are starting to give that rumor a lot of credence.

The water is going to depend on what part of the state you go to.

Oh -- before I forget, here's another resource for seasonal jobs --

Chamber Home Page Tourism Information Community Start Business Events Klondike Gold Rush Stamp Chilkoot Trail Trace Ancestors Member

I'm thinking that Jewell Gardens in Skagway might be an excellent fit for you as a summer job. Skagway is also a very safe, fun little community, and you could probably find winter work there if you ended up wanting to stay.

By the way, lots of people get started in Alaska by taking summer jobs. It's a good way to explore the state and find out where you fit in the best.

Thank you!

[akck]

Compared to 20+ years ago, the produce isn't as bad as people are making it sound. Granted, it isn't as fresh as you might get south and sometimes there are shortages, but it's far from being as bad as suggested. For instance, we can get 6 heads of Romaine for about $4.50-4.80 at Costco. A year ago, it was $4. Quality-wise, we've gotten better south, but we've also gotten the same. Certainly, if you go to a smaller community, your quality will drop and costs go up, but distribution has gotten much better over the years, making quality and quantities available better.

Oh, and vegetarians do survive here. We've known several. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is doable.

[Melissa78703]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I drove tour bus for two years between Seward & Denali. We were stopped at Portage one time on a miserable day in July. 40 degrees, wind blowing 30 miles an hour and raining sideways. As we were loading back up, one of the passengers looked miserable. He was soaking wet, under dressed and cold. I was feeling ornery and didn't figure I was getting a tip anyway so I looked at him and with a smirk said: "I'll bet the brochures at the travel agency didn't have pictures of this in it..."

Hilarious! Yeah, I went on a day cruise that left out of Seward in August. Same deal. As you know, those waters can get seriously choppy, and we had ****-poor weather that day. Some of those poor flatlanders were hurling over the side of the boat. Bon voyage!

It takes a lot of resilience to live in Alaska. Most people just do not know. I honestly thought that I'd turn into a wimpering noodle and hole myself way for the duration I was there, but I survived quite well and even learned to drive in snowstorms that would close other American cities down.