We started calling this cabin "The Dreaded A-frame because of how much we hated it! But now that we have more experience living off grid... Can we save it?
We visit a few Tiny Living experts... Preston and Allison from Tiny Land, and Tiny Homer and get some serious help!
Checkout Tiny Homer - www.tinyhomer.com/
Instagram - / tinyhomer.ak
Pioneers Extended interview with Preston and Allison - www.thisishomesteady.com/7-st...
BECOME A PIONEER HERE - www.thisishomesteady.com/quic...
I lived way the heck off grid.......brought my goods, supplies and my dog team, all by 21 foot canoe, because I would have to line - up Washington creek. Living on the Yukon, with three kids and 7 dogs. Had 2 greenhouses, right by the creek, watering made easy. I trapped in the winter and hunted, gathered and worked 2 placer mines in the summer. Subsisting is a bunch easier than what you are doing. I had a plane fly in provisions twice a year and I went out once a year, selling gold and fur for the goods I needed. Don't forget to pick up all those home schooling supplies. Keeping one foot in the town/city and one. just far enough away to do without. That would have been torture to me. Having only what you need....few things......doing more with the kids like herb and berry picking and fishing in the summer. I carried a .357, python, a.22 long rifle and a .7 mm mag.......everywhere we went. I am a woman and I was alone. This is meant to inspire you. If you survive this you will have gold covered memories...........like me. I am so rich for having lived the richest of lives...............wild in Alaska. If you never make a wrong turn, you will never find the right road.
Wow, what an amazing life! Thanks for sharing :)
Wow! ❤
@@Homesteadyshow Dude, you're having one also, much love.
@@findingaway5512😢p
Massive respects to you and your Alaska adventures not to mention to golden opportunity many never have. I say grab life hold on and live each day for we never know what theme t day brings us all. God bless you and your families🕊️
Born and raised Alaskan here… I’d have major concerns about bears, specifically black bears, with that outdoor kitchen and all the food smells. Outdoor kitchen? Ok. But build it away from your home and store ALLL of your food inside . Otherwise, I like it!
That setup is asking for trouble.
Can you build a fence or something smart and safe around the outdoor kitchen? Yeah, that area is way too open around the house. God forbid that any great big animal with big teeth, big claws, and a big "hungry" should saunter or even charge out of the trees! Oh my gosh. God bless you and keep you safe. May God protect your joy and patience!❤❤❤
This isn't a podcast. This is an episode of television. I'm so hooked on this series! Thank you for all the hard work and enthusiasm you put into this.
I grew up off-grid in Alaska, and have lived there (off-grid) as an adult with small children. Tips: One, you are more likely to succeed if you have no alternatives, no place to go back to. That's a huge motivation for making it work. Two, Husband, make your wife's work as easy as possible. The biggest reason for giving up the off-grid life is the wife being overworked, dealing with water, laundry, firewood, oil lamps, and so on. Three, if you are heating with wood, get your firewood in for the next winter BEFORE winter sets in!
Also, A-frame houses are the pits! And, if you are near Homer, that's actually a pretty mild climate. The areas I've lived in are outside of Delta Junction, and outside of Tok. Much harsher climates in the Interior than near the coast where you are.
Warning! Don't store any kind of food in that tent! Bears wandering through WILL tear into it and destroy everything inside! The food on your porch is also a dangerous bear attractant. Using the porch as a kitchen is not a bad idea, but you need to use wilderness camping precautions, storing the food either inside the house, or hung high up from a tree branch well away from the house, at night.
These are great tips! #2 I think is the most important 😉
@@Homesteadyshow LOL! I think you are probably right!
It crazy how much wives do. Sometimes I feel like it's way to much they take on, because they don't realize they will burn out. The other half must step in to assist or re assign tasks@@Homesteadyshow
If she is struggling with mental health stuff as my wife does, no lifestlye and no place is gonna fix that, only love and understanding will help, but its not gonna go away and its not gonna be solved by change. Some struggles are life long and well mamagable they may not be removable. Accept your self for who u are and the way u are and those who love u will do the same. If u need a break or time, communicate that and take it. Husbands like my self and yours are here to support and love, not judge and look down on. We are with u, not against u.
This is beautiful
This is a very nice sentiment, but when she said I'm a bit depressed about it I don't think she's talking about clinical depression.
We've been homesteading forever. I was born in a lil' cabin, up in The Rocky Mountains, minus electricity, running water.... The less modern amenities you have to fail, THE BETTER! The modern day version of homesteading is trendy/amusing to me...I can even use the word sad, to describe it. The most important factor is to not be "mentally weak".... 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Now you have to worry about the wild life getting into your kitchen supplies, etc. at night while you're sleeping. All the small animals like rats, mice, squirrels, chip monks will become regular visitors. Keep all food items inside.
So glad you went back and didn't give up.
We were glad we went back too!
The fishing scene was the best!!! Family is the best!
Everything is more difficult and harder to enjoy when things are chaotic. You guys jumped in full force with the best intentions and had to adapt so quickly when you first arrived. The weather was cold and rainy, things were packed away, M.I.A., and everyone was trying to learn roles and routines. Once you guys got organized, knew where everything was, and established routines and order, the stress and chaos decreased dramatically. It also helped that the weather cooperated and the kids were more "in tune" with how things worked. I'm so glad you guys had a much better experience at the dreaded A-frame for the second visit! Can't wait for the next one! -Dusty
I've so enjoyed this series. You are such a good story-teller and your videos are very well done. Thank you! Love your family!
Thanks very much 😁 glad to hear you are enjoying it!
I’ve really fallen in love with long format video content, I.e.. I love y’all. Thank you for giving us a piece of your lives. 👍
So glad to hear! It is a new style for us and been a big learning curve, glad to know you like it :)
I feel like there is way too much time in between shows. This did feel a bit too slow in some spots and rushed in others. I really hope that whatever you’re doing in your time between shows is productive and wonderful.
I think the biggest issue that you would have is that there is just not enough space in that little cabin. It just needs to be bigger for all the people you have living there. My log cabin is 18' x 20' with a half loft and I couldn't see living there permanently with my two kids. There would need to be some walled off spaces to give people a little bit of privacy.
Yes! It was too small, but we learned a lot about tiny living we can apply to larger spaces!
@@Homesteadyshow my parent's house is a 3 bedroom plus study, 2 bathroom house with a loft which is the master bedroom. It's open and looks over the living area. It wasn't necessarily the lack of privacy that caused a problem, you couldn't see the far into the bedroom from downstairs. But noise and light were constant problems when we were living there. Once Mum or Dad went to bed, my brother and I couldn't be in the living area or we would keep them awake. Back then there was no such thing as iPads or streaming service. We didn't even have dial up internet lol. We also had one tv in the household. So when they went to bed, we were stuck in our bedrooms and could only read a book. If we needed a drink we had to tiptoe out to the kitchen and not turn the light on. It was a pain. So I completely agree with Dave about walled off spaces. Walls will be your friends!!!
First off you all have fantastic hair...no one can take that away from you :) I lived in the same size A Frame for 10 years and oh so small. Our up stairs was open to the living room and we had a tiny bedroom down stairs. I also bought a Chofu (wood heated) bath system...so taking a bath outside was no problem...especially in the snow. I'm sure lots of folks say "just add on" but the problem of adding onto an A Frame is the roofing and the snow load...adding an addition causes snow channels which get stuck...I hate them now.
I'm so excited to see the next one. This is just as good if not better than any of the shows I'm streaming right now! What a great series!
🥳 that is so nice to hear, thanks 😁
If you ever want to do the tiny home thing again, go with an RV! Ours is a 372 square foot park model: two bedrooms, full bath (proper tub, not a tiny shower) and open living/kitchen/dining. It totally doesn't feel tiny at all, because rvs are designed with maximum comfort and functionality in mind. Like, our bathroom is only 4'x6', but everything we had in our big bathroom at the previous house fits no problem! A friend of ours is in a big 5th wheel rv with three kids, a dog and several cats. Their place also feels spacious due to the design and layout of the functional interior, which is a 3-bedroom (master up front, the toy hauler compartment in the rear converted into a room for the boys with a bunk bed and their desks, and the queen loft above that room is their daughter's room) with bathroom and open living/kitchen/dining. Piece of advice: get a good guard dog. While bears and other wildlife tend to avoid humans, when they get desperate (hungry) they can get dangerous. A good dog will keep your home and your family protected, while being a major deterrent to begin with. We're off-grid in the woods, and my husband had a young bear visiting him every evening until i finally arrived two weeks later with all our dogs. Haven't seen that bear since, and we were lucky that he was mostly just being curious and not desperately hungry.
Oh I’ve loved this series and I think you guys are so smart in how you have it a trial run before investing and committing! You taught us all so much and made such special memories that will last a lifetime ❤
As someone who lives in a heavy black bear area, how do you deal with bears with that outdoor kitchen.
You know they are just black bear clueless lol.
Wow, such an amazing adventure! So glad that your experience got so much better!
Reading many useful books to aid in off grid living conditions yep it’s hard but it’s part of this life. As days n years go by you’ll all look back at these days and have memories to share. God bless y’all you will get there 👍🏼🌞🕊️
Thanks for sharing your beautiful family/adventures, Aust. Interesting that what helps tiny living is more space...and organization. I empathize with Kay, searching for the Goldilocks situation.
I have really enjoyed this series. So much information and really good quality production despite all the hardships. Your family is wonderful. Thank you for all your hard work. Much appreciated and I am really looking forward to whatever comes next. Best, Liz in Canada.
So proud of ya'll! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Don't mind the naysayers. You did and are doing what only few people bring themselves to do. Keep being awesome.
I'm so glad to see you're back.
🎉the fish!! I am glad Y'all got the cabin figured out. Love this longer format. Miss yall though!
I enjoyed this series & your resilience to the family challenge you set. Wisely you sought others advice in off grid challenge . Don't compare to others who succeeded as a solo/dupo in off grid life. Congratulations you all have the skills & knowledge to thrive in cabins built for 1/2 people...Now go & build your off grid dream for your family size😊
Fun to see how you are encorporating stuff you ate learning from others and their lay outs and tips and figuring stuff out for how you can make your stuff work for you better. ❤
Also loved the bug net idea. I love nature.... But not the bugs. 😂 At least the skeeters. We visited relatives in Arkansas and we had a room tent that had screen sides to put a picnic table under so you could dine without getting dined on. Reminded me of that.
I’m so sorry! The hardest thing I’ve ever been through was losing my daddy when I was 21 years old and my first born child was six months old. they were both born on Easter Sunday. I’m so glad my dad was able to get to meet my son before he passed. I’m so sorry for you losing your father and what you’re going through. I do understand how you feel and it is so hard to accept life is never the same again, but it does get a little easier in September 2020 my 24 year old son passed away of a drug overdose 😢 I’ve lost you the two most important men in my life it is so hard to accept they are both gone, which left me feeling alone, depressed, angry every emotion you can think of there is no time stamp on grieving so take all the time you need and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. just know that he wants you to have a happy life and in honor of his wonderful life. Keep on your journey making wonderful memories. I’m looking to start the RV life as well and my first thoughts when I heard you say you want your dad traveling with you or to take my son‘s beautiful urn with me on the road I love that idea and thank you for giving me that idea. bless you and your family sending you as much love strength and prayers as I can and I really enjoy watching your journey again. I am so sorry for your loss of your father.❤😢
Remember.if you build offgrid.everything will be working.you would build a descent outhouse.your cabin wont be that small.you will probably have a nice big porch.a big loft for the kids.you and your wife bedroom downstairs.make 2 lofts.1 for girls-1for boys.you will make your tiny space to suit you.get a huge outdoor tent as a playroom for the kids.will keep the house clean.
I love your efforts, and I love your family! Congratulations all of you for catching a fish. What a delight it was to watch.
I love this series!❤
Such a Blessing to be able to Enjoy Nature. God Bless🙏🏽
Great experience, you have learned a lot. I don't see the need to be totally off grid. You have nothing to prove. Be comfortable. Live your life the way you want to. ❤️
I’m impressed that you guys are figuring out how to make due with what you have and create usable space outside your tiny home. After catching all the fish and having a delicious Alaska salmon meal, you guys might just make it living off grid in Alaska…..during the summer months. I doubt that you could make it happen during the winter months in Alaska, but that’s ok, because it sounds like you will be leaving.
What a beautiful home!! Love all the outbuildings!
I think what they’re doing makes sense but that could be because that’s the way I did it here in New Brunswick Canada. I bought an old Reefer and a parcel of land and I converted the Reefer into my home. I then have built my bathhouse/pump house and solar inverter shack all as I could afford it for cash. The interior of my house still isn’t quite finished and I could have better storage but that will come. I bought a shipping container for storage that will one day be my shop. It was just a matter of waiting for the cash to afford the next step but in its place has been key from day one.
I feel your stress. 6 people living in a small triangle is not conducive. I'm glad you got advice. I hope that you can find scrap wood to build square or rectangle structures that are solid so that you can maximise your space and wall space. Remember winter. I highly recommend watching Dave's channel on Bush Radical. He has plenty of experience living in Alaska and building cabins, outhouses, etc. He is such a great guy, with a great sense of humour. Like he say's , there are many ways to do something. I hope you get more rest and well done on making your space much more liveable. You need your sanity. A well done to everyone catching salmon. Yay. It looks delicious. You've got this!!!!
If you store food in the tent, it will attract animals.
Bears for sure!
Now frame you outdoor kitchen so you can secure the netting to the frame ant the tarp will be more secure an does not sag from the water in the water… direct the accumulation of water into a water storage system
Off grid is great for families. Tiny homes and rv are not. It is always more work just doing basics when going off grid. Not bad for children. Biggest myth people think oh you get this peaceful, relaxing experience. Can be peaceful in a way because you are too busy for worry and stress.
I love using the mise en place idea. I've been pretty overwhelmed as I'm unpacking because I don't know where to put things. I'm going to slow down and really think about how to make things work and buy some extra storage solutions if I need them. It will be far better in the long run. What a cliffhanger! Can't wait for the next one!
Yes, I loved the mise en place! Thought that was soo cool to apply to Tiny living
@@Homesteadyshow it made such a difference in the dreaded A frame! Night and day! I still refuse to do a throw everything out style declutter, because I might need those things one day lol, but having a place for everything I can do!
Fresh caught salmon, kokanee, or char --any of those is the best fish experience ever. I'm so happy for your family's unforgettable adventure. I just hate dealing with mosquitos -- I have to wear the same get up you had on -- here in Florida! Thanks for sharing some beautiful footage.
Hi guys 👋, I'm so pleased you met Preston and Allison 👍. They had so much knowledge to offer you ! Thanks Mom,great idea to make your space comfortable 😊. Mum is not wearing the stress thumb🤭. Hey most folks dont start with a large family. You guys are paying attention to necessities, which makes it so much easier to have a large family ❤. Blob #1 is even smiling now that he has a Fish 🎉 Hurray #3 Son and everyone too follow🎉. Woah #2son and Dad🎉. JO JO IN VT 💞
This looks exhausting. My urban life is hard enough trying to run a teeny tiny homestead as a special needs family. I cannot imagine adding the removal of most modern conveniences on to that. So many things were invented to alleviate the things you seem hellbent on re-introducing to your lives. Reading the comments from off-grid Alaskans it almost seems like it's an all or nothing sum game. It will be interesting to see what you all decide on. Great series.
Hot water! Get a 45 gallon barrel, rain water plus river water… get pipes to lead you hot water to your house and bath… whatever and elevates that 45 Gallon up with fire wood. A frame easy addition on the side and double your first floor plan.
Thank you so much for your show I am currently living in a tent in florida in the heat if I am caught I could get arrested but I have no where else to go I have no car I had to sell it to get the supplies I needed to make it through here I am doing good just was watching your show and I miss up north I wish I had a place like the a frame cabin but thank again peace and love to you all
Wow, I was so happy for you guys catching those salmon. Everyone got one! What a nice rewarding day. I'm looking forward to the conclusion.....although gonna miss the series for sure.
I’m gonna miss it too 🥲 but I’m ready to share the next chapter too…
@Homesteadyshow well, whatever your next chapter brings, I'm sure it's gonna be great. You guys make such interesting and well done videos. Thanks for sharing your life adventures. Catch ya on the next one. 👍🏻
I moved to Homer in 1988 … when I was young and impressionable… I instantly tossed away my lower 48 mindset and got into homesteading right away. That’s all your wife needs to do … just think differently … look for the things to appreciate about this lifestyle rather than looking to make this life a lower 48 life .
My parents had an off grid cabin on the Kenai River l & we’d go there on weekends in spring + summer to fish the river. Every morning, we drove up the hill to the Princess Lodge to shower, do laundry and have breakfast before a full day of fishing. That off grid cabin of ours? Literally just a cheap place to sleep. Can’t imagine actually living like that.
I also believe having better weather helped this time around. Cooking in a outdoor kitchen in the heavy rain or in a Alaskan winter would not be fun
I think the mosquitos alone would be enough to drive me mad unfortunately. Is this a consistent problem for most Alaskan properties or only near water and marshes?
One thing I took notice of immediately with “Tiny” is that they don’t have children in their tiny home. You have a lot going on and are asking children to conform to the small confines of the A-frame. I am not saying this to be negative but just pointing out the obvious difference. I also have noticed over the course of your off-grid Alaska experience that as you mentioned in this video that clutter and chaos can impact your mental state. I live semi-off-grid cabin. I am connected to the electric grid, but have NO water plumbed to my home, no traditional kitchen appliances, no indoor bathroom, and had no built in storage. I have added furniture and built shelving to accommodate my items and even as a single person I have a ton of belongings and live in what my friends call an Alaskan mansion as my home is larger than the “perceived” typical remote Alaskan cabin, and yet even I get overwhelmed all the time. I agree storage and organization is a game changer. The other thing I noticed is that your idea for the outdoor kitchen while functional will still be impacted by the issues you had early on in your journey, cold, windy and rainy days. I wish you all the best but think you are fighting an uphill battle. Just remember to take it one day at a time and make the best of every situation. Years from now your children will have some amazing experiences to share as they tell their own stories. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. 😊
Your sons smile while fighting that fish makes it all worth it!!!
Great ideas.
Ok.. sorry to jump to conclusions.. this video makes sense now. Love the tiny village!
Keep on you are gonna love it. Have rules it will save a lot of mistakes.
Great job kids catching the salmon!.. What wonderful memories!
I can't wait til ye get back home ❤️😘
The look on your son's face when he caught that fish was priceless.
I knew you’d be back! 😊
A-frames are dark & depressing. And more expensive to build. There are no actual walls that expand the living space. What you have is a weekend getaway.
You guys make me feel better about my ruffing it, like kindred spirits
Well done kiddos!
What a awesome experience for your kids fishing ❤
Oh my goodness! That salmon makes me miss home! My two brothers -in-law were fishermen and excellent cooks!
My husband was born in Alaska in Anchorage yes things break at more in Alaska lol but you both are strong
You've come a long way in your journey. congratulations on learning how to live tiny and off-grid.
Yes Bill! It’s been quite a journey!!!
Congrats on your catches. Wahooooo!!!!!
Boy! Using the tent was a game changer!
I agree, if the parent's tasks are so time consuming now that they can't enjoy the extra time with the family then an offgrid life may have been too extreme of a choice. I understand how they're feeling so conflicted. Without the mosquitos a large outdoor area for the kids to play could have been built. It seems like only a generous budget would have allowed to create a large indoor space and have a lot of helpful amenities. My rent is 2K and I live in a nice city in a very small apartment. That's not ideal either. I have to drive to the mountains on the beach for any nature. It's depressing.
Now you need to work on making that kitchen winter proof! I would make a root cellar underneath (think future when building things).
Wondering why you didn’t bring the tent/shed closer to the house so you didn’t have to walk as far to get things when you need it
Lol I live in homer and spent last summer in a tent working on the “ he’ll build” of my cabin.. it was raining a lot and extra crappy, but it can be done
I haven't watched in awhile I can't believe y'all moved that far Alaska is one of the hardest ace to live
Living that far off the grid can be tough
I was born & raised in New England. I reiterated in Idaho. #1 reason = NO MOSQUITOES!!!
Just yellowjackets and killer hornets lol.
Hello I'm Susan from South Africa 🇿🇦 new subscriber love to see your next video besafe and GOD Bless 🌹❤️🙏🙏🙏
It's your life and your dream. I wouldn't have moved so far away due to not having family, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. It's a hard life you wish to live, good luck.
So much more room for activities
Yes!
It’s so funny the other video he brought up Missouri because that’s where I bought my tiny land and I built like them and 8 x 16 now I have a bathroom inside of mine but and I don’t sleep in a loft either cause I’m older and I’m so glad I went slower, so I have running water, sewage and electricity Now I’m so ready to sell it after two years and go completely off grid but I’m so glad that I didn’t jump right into off grid because I remember all the tears of building that house and the rain and they not stopping and all my stuff getting muddy and ruined and two refrigerators is not working and the money and not being hungry and you just can’t leave all your stuff and I was by myself as a female, just needing to protect myself, but needing to go get more suppliesit was worth it now but the person that will buy it when I’m ready to sell. It will never understand how much that means to me.
Just meeting you - I immediately got the fish out of water vibe..
Marty Raney and family needs to come over and give y’all a hand. Looking way better. Keep on with the great attitude and hard work!
I wish you guys lived closer so our kids could run around together with mismatched shoes. 😆 Excited to tune in for the conclusion! Knowing this was all filmed last summer I am so filled with questions! I’ll be washing dishes and randomly think “Where are they living right now?? What’s going on with Sunny Mountain? Do they have ANY cows left?!”
wow i worked by a dog sledder name dean he has a salmon run of cabins on the beach. 2000 was the year i worked at the Keni canery. deans land was yo turn right at the TBar the same road to Homer. wow crazy love hearing peoples storys on the Keni pen.
I have enjoyed your channel. However, what is going on with the videos over and over about this A frame cabin?! It’s been like a year since the this same stuff?? I’m confused.
Anywhere you live with four children will be messy.
Please be extra clean in the outdoor kitchen. Do not leave any foodstuffs outside at night. You have too many crucial appliances near scents of food in reach of wildlife. Just the cooking splatter is enough to draw them.
Do you have bears in Alaska? Just saying. We live in New Hampshire and that set up would last maybe days as well as food storage in a tent. I won't even talk other critters....Coyotes, total omnivores, stroll around here as much as domestic dogs, Bob cats also very abundant here, more so then outdoor cats now..and our biggest advisory with all our stuff indoors a complete and absolute safty necessity for us and our cat and dogs from the predators I just mentioned, yet close to as destrutive to our stuff atleast.. mice, lol.
Sooo you posted this two weeks ago, but when did you film this?? I live on the kenai, and this is not filmed two weeks ago, no foliage on trees here yet. The ferns are not up, nor the fireweed. So lets be honest and put out when this was filmed, it is not spring on the kenai
I’m curious if/how you missed the farm while in AK.
A frames are expendable at eight foot increments. Maintain eight inch insulation properties. Dormers are another good value......
My question is, what happens when it’s cold. Snowy, stormy, windy. Etc?
To help prevent a bugs and mosquitoes plant lemon balm and lemongrass and stuff like that around and also eat it therefore the mosquitoes won't want to eat you there's also many other plants those were just two examples of plants that will prevent bugs from wanting to be around
Great anti-bug barrier. I'm excited for you. But isn't all that outside food storage (eggs, bulk items, etc) a giant critter magnet??
Yes!
The reason why Tiny Land looks so great and is meticulously organized is because they don't have kids. LOL
Having lived off grid and seeing the tinyland set up. It’s all good no judgement but basically it’s city folk in off grid but can’t quite get real with off grid. It’s a house being chopped up here and there like a puzzle. I call it off grid city fever. I have known many off grid people. Once you get the building of buildings everywhere you’re in the city living aspect again.
I would love to see a small addition to the cabin property a 3 seasons room/ porch would give you a little more room to have a tool chest and seasonal storage plus a mud room all in one. Maybe even add a porch swing
They are just rented it for a couple of Summer months.
I'm excited to see your next video because i was hoping that you would decide not to live off grid 👍☺️
You can do it. Enjoy the small thing
So how are/were you taking care of food waste so as not to attract bears & vermin?