Wanting to move to the bush (Soldotna, Seward: homes, living, prices)

[samsters]

Im wanting to move to the forest and just get away from it all, do everything (almost) myself. I dont quite have the skills to just go do that, but im wanting to know just how hard it is to find cheap land (3k> acre). Currently im working full time and trying to pick up shoe making. Id like to make a living by shoemaking and leatherwork. Right now im in missouri, trying to figure out if I want to start a small homestead here, or take the extra difficult path and start in alaska.

Im no fan of bureaucracy or rules, and im not building where there are enforced codes. the end goal is to really be out there, and not deal with people.

What would you expect to spend for 10 acres a good distance from any cities? Im not really sure about places only accessible by water/plane. I do like the idea, but I think that is the sort of situation you need to experience to decide.. or have a plane. I would be interested in stories of people who did that, people that werent rich. I think it would be a very interesting obstacle to work around.

Long term I want to be in alaska, because nowhere here can compare in the openness and wildness of alaska. Ive always been drawn to snowy climates full of pine trees, and recently retraced my family heritage on both sides, back to canada. I love the cold, figured maybe im part eskimo.

for now im just working/ learning skills/ acquiring tools, researching land prices and codes. With alaska the location changes the seasons/sunlight/temps to such a degree that every area is like a different state. I thought it might be cool to take a flight there, to stay for a while, and get a feel for the people and environment. If I could do something like that and have a job, I could come back and plan and still have a job lined up for when I came back.

thanks for reading.
stay safe friends.

[Metlakatla]

Oh good, I was afraid these threads were over in this forum.

[Monello]

While on a road trip of route 66, I met some people pretty much roughing it on their own land. Cheap land around the Seligman, AZ area. You can fill your water bladder in town. Use solar for electricity. Dig a deep hole for septic needs.

If you ever make it to Alaska, visit the town of Soldotna. They have the homesteader cabins from the hearty people that headed that way after WWII. She's probably passed by now, but the lady who gave us our tour was 1 of the homesteaders. Before the road was built, they walked from Seward to their land. It took them 4 days to walk while carrying their gear on sleds.

Museum

https://youtu.be/0uIRIqfbLqk


The homes were a bit bigger than what people in civilization keep their lawn mower in. That 1 room is your living room, kitchen, bedroom and occasionally the bathroom. Bread made from yeast starter. Empty flour sack become window curtains. Real hearty, no nonsense folks. They stopped making people like that.

[ejisme]

Hmmm. You want to be away from it all, and away from people, but make money as shoe and leatherwork craftsman. Don't you have to have paying customers?

Alaska would be your extreme. There are plenty of places to get away in the lower 48. The southeast corner of Oregon and the adjacent SW corner of Idaho. Along the ID and NV boarder are some very remote areas too. The southern Wyoming/Utah boarder would be another area. Plenty of places in Montana. Arizona as mentioned above. These are very remote, get away from it all, places. They just don't have reality TV shows based in these locations, so people don't know about them as much.

[joe from dayton]

Even if you acquired the skills to make a living out of making shoes and doing leatherwork, how would you market and sell your goods if you are living like a hermit?

[Sockeye66]

Originally Posted by ejisme

Hmmm. You want to be away from it all, and away from people, but make money as shoe and leatherwork craftsman. Don't you have to have paying customers?

Alaska would be your extreme. There are plenty of places to get away in the lower 48. The southeast corner of Oregon and the adjacent SW corner of Idaho. Along the ID and NV boarder are some very remote areas too. The southern Wyoming/Utah boarder would be another area. Plenty of places in Montana. Arizona as mentioned above. These are very remote, get away from it all, places. They just don't have reality TV shows based in these locations, so people don't know about them as much.

I fully agree with this, lots of remote areas lower 48. OP, you are considering manufacturing in an area where it will be very difficult and expensive receiving supplies and shipping orders.

[Chilkoot]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Oh good, I was afraid these threads were over in this forum.

And with a cobbler angle this time!

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Oh good, I was afraid these threads were over in this forum.

Ha! And when people start telling him the truth, they will be accused of being mean, rude, and unhelpful.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

Even if you acquired the skills to make a living out of making shoes and doing leatherwork, how would you market and sell your goods if you are living like a hermit?

Not to mention finding the time. Living off the grid 'way back in the bush takes hours a day to accomplish. You need to hunt, gather, or maintain some livestock in order to eat. You need to cut and haul your heat, light and water. It will be an unforgiving slog. Keeping yourself and your cobbler's shop unfrozen and lit enough to do the work takes some doing. Especially when its dark for 20 hours a day and below freezing (which can last for months at a time). OK, I know its a mere TV show, but Life Below Zero is more realistic than most. You can turn the TV off when it gets overwhelming. Can't do that in real life. Then once your dreams are dashed and you end up despising the place you've sacrificed everything to reach, what's next? Dashed dreams can be devastating to the soul. BTDT.

Before you say we don't understand, some of us do. Many of us came up here with dreams like this, I get it, I get it, I get it. I've lived somewhat the way you want but even without needing to run a business viable to keep me alive it was tough. My unwelcome suggestion would be to start your reclusive life somewhere less inhospitable. You certainly don't need to go to AK to find the seclusion, "pine trees", space, even the cold you say you want. There are plenty of places that can offer it. You just haven't looked and you've been seduced by the notion of AK instead of the reality. Gather your skills, get some practice and fine tune what you really want, and learn how to keep a supportive business alive. THEN come up and try it.

Be wary of cheap land up here (well, this probably holds true for most places). It is probably too boggy or vertically challenged to build on and there may not be enough timber to build or fresh water on site to support living there. Most likely, it isn't conveniently accessible by plane, ATV, or boat. All this means a very long walk from anywhere such as the post office that would receive or send your necessary supplies and the shoes you make out of them. Sure, maybe a snowmachine in winter will get there, but even in AK winter doesn't last all year. Some places, winter can be the easiest season in which to travel.

[silibran]

Just happened to spot this post. Native Missourian here. You can go off grid in SW MO or NW ARK. No need to travel to Alaska for that.

I doubt you can support yourself doing shoemaking or leatherwork unless you find a specialist niche.