# Caretaker Needed for Alaska Homestead



## akhomesteader

My family and I will probably be moving to another part of Alaska for a year or two or three. We're planning to leave in early to mid October. We would like to find and individual or a family to live in our cabin (rent-free, of course) and take care of things on our homestead here in the Alaskan bush while we're away. Our cabin is 18' x 20' with a sleeping loft and storage space upstairs. If interested, please email us at [email protected]. Please don't send PM's because it's getting full. 

We're in Southcentral Alaska, about 65 miles (only about a 45 minute flight) from Anchorage. It's off the road system, and off the grid. We have some solar panels, a wind generator, gas generator and a small battery bank. The only access is by charter plane that has to land on the lake. There will be opportunities to pick up work from families who have vacation cabins around the lake. The work is usually getting and splitting firewood, shoveling snow, maintenance, some building projects, etc. You might also be able to get seasonal work as a hunting or fishing guide.

Once you get yourself to Anchorage, Alaska, we'll pay for your charter flight from Anchorage to here.

If you're planning to move to Alaska permanently, this would give you a head start on your residency for the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend as well as a resident hunting, fishing and trapping license. It would also give you an opportunity to see if this is the lifestyle you really want before you make a huge commitment buying land and building your own cabin. There is land for sale nearby. If you decided to stay in this area, you could live in our cabin while you work on building your own, at least as long as we're away. 

There is hunting, fishing and trapping in the area. We have a fairly large garden that you can work if you like. If you plan to garden, we should be able to leave you plenty of seed potatoes from this years crop. Lots of wild edible plants in the area, too. You might be able to have goats, chickens and other animals. Just run it by us first. We no longer have animals, except for the dogs, and we don't have housing for animals anymore. But we could talk about you building something, either temporary or permanent.

We heat and cook with wood. Cooking is done on an antique Waterford Stanley cookstove. It's easy to cook on the stove, and I'll be glad to teach you if you've never cooked on a woodburnig cookstove before. It's not enough to heat the cabin during the coldest part of the winter, so we have a barrel stove for that. I'm not sure what we'll have available to us for cooking where we're going, but I imagine that I'll be able to leave most of my skillets, other cookware and dishes here for you to use. There will be some food here for you. Not enough to get you through a year, but enough to get you started. You'll probably want to do some grocery shopping in Anchorage before you come out here.

We can only take one of our dogs with us. So, if you'd like a dog, there will be one here for you. Otherwise we'll try to find a good home for him. D.E.W. Line is 1 1/2 years old. He is half Black Lab and half Chesapeake Bay Retriever. If you want him, we'll leave enough dog food to get you started. He's a very friendly dog, and lives up to his name as an early warning system. 

We will continue to pay for phone service, and for internet at least through the end of our contract with the satellite internet company. The internet has just over 2 years left on the contract. The phone system is marginal. The internet us usually reliable. You will need your own laptop. A regular desktop computer pulls too much electricity. There is no Postal Service to this part of Alaska, but most of the folks who have vacation cabins around the lake are pilots. Someone will usually pick up your mail or send things out for you when they visit. Our property is not right on the lake. It's very peaceful here.

If you're interested or have questions, please send an email to us at [email protected]. Please don't send PM's because our box is getting full. We'd probably like to have you here in early October so you have time to get used to things before we leave.

Looking forward to hearing from some of you!

Chuck and Jenny


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## Danaus29

I wish, I wish, I wish! I currently have too many ties to Ohio though.


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## Oggie

I wish I were reading this about 12 years ago.

Best of luck.


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## Tristan

This is great now how to talk my wife into thinking so lol.


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## AngieM2

Arghhhh! I sure hope someone good gets this wonderful opportunity.

The only state I've not been in... 


I hope what you are going to is wonderful for you.

Angie


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## akhomesteader

Thank you!


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## cindy-e

oh, man! If this were NEXT July/Aug, We would so be there! We have to work for the company my dh works for until then according to the contract or we would have to pay back the relo. Bummer. Hey if somebody wants year one, maybe I could take year two! L! 

Cindyc.


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## TedH71

Nice! Been wanting to move to Alaska but due to my specialized job (machining)..doubt I would be able to find a job unless it's in Anchorage....


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## akhomesteader

cindy-e said:


> oh, man! If this were NEXT July/Aug, We would so be there! We have to work for the company my dh works for until then according to the contract or we would have to pay back the relo. Bummer. Hey if somebody wants year one, maybe I could take year two! L!
> 
> Cindyc.


If you're serious, send us an email to the address above in the original post so we'll have your contact info. Who knows what will happen between now and next summer. Maybe the caretaker we get won't want to stay for another year. We've been contacted by a few folks who would really like to do it, but can't on such short notice, so we're keeping a list of folks to contact later if the first one doesn't stay.

Hope to hear from you! 

Jenny


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## 0nmp0

Wow, I've been seriously thinking about something like this. No way I could do it in Oct though. By June of 2010 I will have no debt and no bills, nothing stopping me from a change of lifestyle.

BTW - I vacationed in Alaska in 2007 and it is a beautiful state.

Out of curiosity, what does the chartered flight from Anchorage to the lake cost?


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## akhomesteader

0nmp0 said:


> Wow, I've been seriously thinking about something like this. No way I could do it in Oct though. By June of 2010 I will have no debt and no bills, nothing stopping me from a change of lifestyle.
> 
> BTW - I vacationed in Alaska in 2007 and it is a beautiful state.
> 
> Out of curiosity, what does the chartered flight from Anchorage to the lake cost?


Hi,

If you are really interested, send an email to the address in the original post so we'll have your contact information. We're making a list of folks who are interested in doing this later if whomever we get for this year decides not to stay. Mention Homesteading Today in the subject line so we don't delete it.

Charter planes are high. One way from our lake to Anchorage in a Cessna 206 is about $500 now, so just the flying for a grocery shopping trip is $1000.00. That's for the plane, not each seat. Same price empty or full.


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## wyld thang

If I was single I'd be there yesterday! I can't get my husband to take a freakin FREE cruise to Alaska (grrrrrrr!) Here's hoping you find the right match!


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## akhomesteader

Thanks wyld thang. We've been swamped with folks wanting to live here when we leave. We're pretty sure we've found somebody now, though. 

FREE cruise to Alaska?!? What some folks would't give for that!

Jenny


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## auburnfan1

Hello Jenny
I was Wondering if you definately have someone to take care of your place Because I am moving to Alaska on September the 18th and will arrive around the 25th.
Thanks
Brian


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