Looking for information on appropriate place that suits my wants in Alaska (living in, moving to)

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by Dream Alaska

I'm looking for a place to research as I want to eventually make Alaska my home someday within next couple of years . I don't like big city life but want to stay clear of disfunctional unsafe places at same time . I live in Canada living an Alaskan lifestyle . I love the sound of Alaska from what I've learned about it. Are Alaskans welcoming to outsiders ? I'm thankfull that moving to Alaska is an option , such a gift of a place. But I want to be near a place where I can fish, hunt and live off land ? Is all of that allowed in most towns? Which town would meet these wants: nearest neighbour no closer than 1 mile away, friendly people, low violence and crime rate , preferably damp or dry alchol area, property with home already on it , with hardwood on land to supply own heat with, middle or below Alaska not northern , I have goats , pigs , chickens etc would this be functional in certain areas? If any recommendations I can look into that would be greatly appreciated! I have so many questions if anyone has the time ! I have a 8 year old? Is homeschooling popular there? Thanks for any info!

Probably Alaska is not the place for you.
It's one of the most dysfunctional places you can imagine.
Drinking is a way of life up here.
Damp or dry alcohol area - well technically there are communities that are "dry" but that means they just have a robust bootleg culture.
You just have to take the bad with the good if you come here. If you want nice and friendly people you are WAY better off in Canada.

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by Dream Alaska

I'm on east coast but your just not allowed to live free here . It's expensive to do anything here . And you get charged for trying to feed yourself or hunt or fish . It's just gotten out o control here .laws stop you from doing anything for yourself.

People who want to "live free" don't really get it. They want to "live free" but at the expense of everyone else who wants to live free as well. That doesn't really work. So, this is the life in the Western world now. If you didn't have laws and rules we'd have a bunch of ruined land and resources, because people "living free" like to take everything for themselves and not be good stewards of the land. That's just facts - so now we have a lot of rules.

[Dakster]

I have been to Eastern and Western Canada... Have friends in both areas too. I was also curious as to why you eliminated that area of Canada, but figured you had your reasons.

I agree with Mizzile about the live free and the need for rules/laws.

There was a big article about a restaurant in Anchorage that buys all of its pork from a pig farmer just south of Anchorage. It was a big deal in the paper. But that doesn't mean there are not other pig farms around either. I am not ready to raise animals so I haven't really explored animal farms in detail here.

I live in an area that doesn't meet your objectives price, land, or lifestyle wise. Food in my area is comparab;e to the lower 48 (Seattle mainly) and the further "out" you go, the more expensive food and supplies get. Let's just say I have seen plenty of people from out in the bush shopping in bulk around here. However, I am not far from areas that could potentially meet your objectives though. Kinda the nice thing about Alaska, you are not too far from being in a very rural area or even out of cell phone range.

Are you talking about $125k for a place in US Dollars or Canadian. The exchange rate is not that great for you right now. Your $125k Canadian will get you around $100k US right now, maybe less. That wasn't the case last summer, but falling oil prices tend to make the exchange rate worse for you in the US.

Hopefully another forum member, Metlatka will chime in. She knows the Southeast area well. And she will give you all the reasons why what you are doing is a bad idea - which IMHO is good. It makes you think about it, before you do it.

[Metlakatla]

Are you a U.S. citizen? I'm curious about what you would do for a living if you moved to Alaska. It is not at all easy for residents of other countries to find anything but seasonal work, and even that isn't an easy process. I doubt that you'd qualify for a student Visa.

I'm sort of with Stiff here, though, what's the point? It sounds like the life you want could be obtained more easily by remaining in your own country, unless there's something we don't know about your situation.

"Living free" anymore is a luxury, really, people with money playing with lifestyles....although I know people who live well and spend relatively little in Alaska, they're people who bought their property years ago and have established their lifestyles.

If by "living off the land," you mean "growing a big veggie garden," milking the goat, and killing a pig now and then, I can't help you, sorry; I'm going to have to attempt to build my nerves up with magnesium and Vit. D before I can attempt that sort of conversation here.

[mizzile]

I think the OP said s/he is from California originally. I'm curious as to how s/he is living in Canada unless s/he's a dual citizen.

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

"Living free" anymore is a luxury, really, people with money playing with lifestyles....although I know people who live well and spend relatively little in Alaska, they're people who bought their property years ago and have established their lifestyles.

That's really the key, right there. There's a real trend these days to worship people with quirky lifestyles for their willingness to walk to the beat of their own drum, but what's commonly left out of the story is the fact that said quirky person has money to play with.

[Dream Alaska]

I'm in health care and I just look at life as its too short to be a slave to a thieving government . I no what has to be done to live a healthy lifestyle and if your not living life the way you see right than what's the point. Alaska just has my heart after research because I only know what I've read .. People seem to get their food when hungry , which you hardly get away with in Canada , catch a salmon here , u better be ready to throw it back before your fined! Someone like me who only wants meat and fish to eat and survive on should be allowed, which seems like in Alaska ... Your allowed ?then to top off my rant on how Canada isn't the great Canada anymore, you work your ass off at a job and goverment takes half your pay every pay! How do you survive when your always pushed under ! Income tax, poor health care, what I call slavery now , just isn't the way Canada used to be . So if that's quirky of me to want a better life , then I guess I'm quirky.

[Dream Alaska]

Originally Posted by Dakster

I have been to Eastern and Western Canada... Have friends in both areas too. I was also curious as to why you eliminated that area of Canada, but figured you had your reasons.

I agree with Mizzile about the live free and the need for rules/laws.

There was a big article about a restaurant in Anchorage that buys all of its pork from a pig farmer just south of Anchorage. It was a big deal in the paper. But that doesn't mean there are not other pig farms around either. I am not ready to raise animals so I haven't really explored animal farms in detail here.

I live in an area that doesn't meet your objectives price, land, or lifestyle wise. Food in my area is comparab;e to the lower 48 (Seattle mainly) and the further "out" you go, the more expensive food and supplies get. Let's just say I have seen plenty of people from out in the bush shopping in bulk around here. However, I am not far from areas that could potentially meet your objectives though. Kinda the nice thing about Alaska, you are not too far from being in a very rural area or even out of cell phone range.

Are you talking about $125k for a place in US Dollars or Canadian. The exchange rate is not that great for you right now. Your $125k Canadian will get you around $100k US right now, maybe less. That wasn't the case last summer, but falling oil prices tend to make the exchange rate worse for you in the US.

Hopefully another forum member, Metlatka will chime in. She knows the Southeast area well. And she will give you all the reasons why what you are doing is a bad idea - which IMHO is good. It makes you think about it, before you do it.

Thank you for your positive thoughts , I appreciate the info

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by mizzile

I think the OP said s/he is from California originally. I'm curious as to how s/he is living in Canada unless s/he's a dual citizen.

I haven't seen where the OP has stated he/she is from California, but the blocks of texts and ESL writing could have caused me to miss that. I'm guessing that the OP is a French Canadian citizen who really doesn't understand that you can't just move to Alaska from another country and expect to be handed a job.

Again, OP, what country are you a citizen of?

[stiffnecked]

You can't just come to Alaska and kill up some wild animals and fish whenever you are hungry. Hunting and fishing are just as regulated in Alaska as they are in Canada. Even if you could move here and legally obtain employment you still wouldn't qualify for a resident hunting or fishing license until you lived here for a full year. You should probably read the Alaska Hunting and Fishing regulations to know what you're facing.

Alaska Hunting Regulations, Alaska Department of Fish and Game