Making a Living

[Chuck]

This link is for anyone who thinks you need 10 sections to make a living. You don't all you need is an imagination, a little creativity, and desire to succeed. I found this linked to Scott blogs, some more good reading.

managingwholes.com/salatin.htm

Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[Freeholdfarm]

I read that a couple of days ago -- anything by Joel Salatin is excellent! I have two of his books.

Kathleen

[Washkeeton]

So if I might be bold, for those that want to offer, how do you make a living? I have a friend that says they can get moneies for living out in the bush? is this true or are they pulling my leg? We get the PFD's but what other programs other than subsistance is there for bush living folks. I just want to know how people afford the plane drops in the bush or having supplies droped off by boat, or to buy supplies for that matter like food supplements, fuel and the replacements for broken tools and the like. I do not have a problem if any one wants to pm me with information. Thank you.

[Jenny]

Other than the PFD, like you mentioned, I don't know of any programs for getting government money in the bush --- other than welfare I've heard of some folks getting grants for various things.

Different folks have different priorities. Some want to live with all the amenities of life in the suburbs, except without all the people. Others, like us, just want a simpler life, more like the old homesteaders. When we think of something we want, we have to think about if it's worth what we will have to do to earn the money for it. For example, it's not worth it for us to buy produce and have it shipped out because we'd have to work more or longer at a job to earn the money to buy the produce. Instead, we'd much rather work like the begeebies in our garden and gathering wild greens and berries. Same with meat (we try to keep the meat out of our garden, though .

But, you do need some money --- the occasional plane, some groceries and things you can't make. (I much prefer TP to leaves )), and the ever present taxes When we were at our homestead before, we had a business, Caribou Crafts. We made jewelry and accessories mainly from shed caribou antlers. Also used shed moose antlers and porcupine quills. Chuck cut and sanded the antlers and made the cards we used to display and sell them. I drilled the holes and did the beading, and the marketing. Once a year, we went to a wholesale gift show in Anchorage where buyers would come around, look over our display and pick up a brochure and price list. They'd either place an order at the show or call us. We'd work on the orders from January to April when we called for a plane to pick up all the boxes. A relative in town mailed everything out for us. We sold to museums, art galleries and some of the higher end gift shops. They knew we only shipped once a year since we lived so remote. We thought nobody would want to deal with us since it was kind of a pain for them. But they used it as a selling point to their customers. So, by the end of February we had all the orders we could handle and knew exactly how much money we'd have for the rest of the year. Sometimes, if we needed extra money and thought it would be worth it to fly to town for a big retail craft show, we'd do that in September. It usually just paid for the air taxi to town and back, but was a way to make it worth flying in for a shopping trip.

We have some friend who live in the bush and trap for a living. They tan all their own furs, then sew them into hats, ruffs, muk-luks, mittens, etc. In the summer they either hike (or use a swamp buggy when it's running) about 75 miles to the nearest town on the road system. They spend a few months in town selling their fur products, (which are the best I've ever seen!). When he can get summer work, that supplements their income.

Another old homesteader friend is retired and living on social security. Because of their location (him and the folks above) and the expense of planes, they don't get the PFD. Most of the folks we know who live full time in the bush live just fine, very simple lives. But they're well below the poverty level. Lots of things, such as furniture are hand made. We use canning jars for drinking glasses because they hold up better and are less expensive. We just do what we can to save money. Being debt-free is necessary.

Well, that's what we do. Wash, we've always wondered the same thing ---- what do other folks in the bush do for a living? Not talking about the retired ones. We're wondering about the folks who raise children and aren't retired and who just REALLY live waaaayyy out in the bush.

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[Washkeeton]

Thanks Jenny for your response. I do have kids and wish to know if there is anything I can do to make a living. I was in the bush for 2 years but we were still where I could come and work for 2 days per week. If I stay in AK I wish to be able to find a way to make it out there that I wont have to come to town every week to work. kinda kills the reason for being out there. I do crafting but I know that right now I dont have the time to work on it. I am not sure it would sell any ways. Your antler business is original, not for AK of course, but for the rest of the country.
I am not looking for a gov hand out. I am just curious. I have worked to find a way I can live in the bush and not work in town. That becomes limiting to me not only where I can live but the job I can have.
Thank you for your response

[Jenny]

Wash, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to imply that I thought you were looking for a handout. I didn't think that at all. We know some folks that tried to get a grant to research and write about the history of their area in Alaska. Didn't pan out, though. We know another fellow who got a federal grant for an interesting way he put together an electrical system --- wind and solar, I think. Not sure what made his system different and worthy of federal money, but it worked for him. Anyway, I believe that most folks who really live in the bush, off the road system or away from any town or village, are really hard workers who believe in making it on their own, and are not looking for a handout.

When we go back, we'd rather not do the jewelry again. Now that we have three very young sons, it will take sooooo much more time to make enough jewelry to make a living. We may end up having to do it some, though. We hope to get the magazine going by then, or shortly after we get back home. Logistics of doing that my prevent it from happening, though. Poor internet service, and it's very expensive to get planes. Chuck has worked as a guide. Main problem there is that he will have to leave us for quite awhile each year (a couple of months at a time some years). I didn't mind it before we adopted the babies, but now it will be difficult for them having their dad gone for such a long stretch. It's doable, and he'll probably do that, but it would be nice to find something where he can be home. It is a challenge to live in the bush with all the taxes and things.

By the way, our antler things sold best in AK. We have sold some to shops in other states, and once I did a big wholesale gift show in Atlanta, but that was an expensive flop. We found that our antler things sold best to Alaskans, as gifts from Alaskans to folk down south, and to tourists up here. We sold some in Canada, and there was a good response with lots of interest from buyers in some other countries, but there are so many regulations and expensive permits when you export animal products, even things like buttons and jewelry made from shed antlers.

I don't know what kinds of crafts you do, or what kinds of skills you have, but I'm sure you can find a way to live in the bush. Lots of prayers and lots of patience. Often a big leap of faith.

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[UgashikBob]

Wow !! This is quite a topic. I should qualify my post by saying that both the funding for and the way we live in the bush is probably unique. We spent the majority of our lives staying debt free and saved our money for our life in the bush. Everything we have is paid for and not one penny came from anywhere but us except the permanent fund and bush mailing subsidy which we abused to the max. We also made a very heavy deposit in sweat equity program having built everything ourselves
In our area the only people that exist just seasonally without some form of government assistance do so by taking from the area in some form. The problem becomes how do you accomplish that without infringing upon people like ourselves who have opted not to sell the experience? My wife and I are extremely proud of the fact that in over 20 years that the number of people we have brought into our area could be counted without taking your shoes off. Alaska is so fragile every person you add to the experience incrementally decreases it except to the people who seem to flourish in the combat experience. We are very fortunate that we were able to secure our financial future earlier in life because I don't see many ways to live in the bush without accepting government aid or selling the outdoor experience to the highest bidder.
My point is in the last five years especially we have seen such an influx of people arriving at our doorstep and this increase is both noticed and felt more by people like ourselves who were fortunate enough to experience it in a much less crowded state.
If you read all the books about a true year round bush lifestyle you will find that none of them took over Wall Street. You will find a common denominator that is hard work. One of the things about Alaska is nothing comes easy and that in itself can be the reward.

[Washkeeton]

First of all let me say I am sorry Jenny i didnt mean to sound so gruff. I figured you knew that I didnt want a gov hand out. I am looking for other ways to make a living. I also agree writing a book is not the way because it drags others out and with it mars the land as well and those that cant make it they leave their marks and the damage stays. I want a way to be sure I will make it before I make the dicision to do that again if I stay in Ak. Thank you.

[Rovingarcher]

I have seen some interesting money makers back in the bush.The one that sticks out in my mind is the"Birch Syrup" business.Doing very well.Also products from split willow,diamond willow ect .Just need an outlet over the net.GR

[Freeholdfarm]

Jenny, if you don't mind my asking, what kind of property taxes do you pay? Living where we did when we were up there, we didn't have any property taxes at all (a definite benefit, even if the climate was harsher), so I've been wondering what they run in other parts of the state.

Kathleen

[Jenny]

From what we've heard from folks in different parts of the state, taxes can vary greatly. Some boroughs don't have property taxes, and some areas still aren't in boroughs. We're in a borough that still considers any bush property as raw land, so that helps keep the taxes down. We pay about $10 per acre per year in property taxes. Doesn't sound like much, but considering that we get absolutely nothing for the money, that robbery! (and a soapbox for another day )

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[UgashikBob]

Our property taxes are the same as the services we receive.
Zero

[kasilofhome]

My property tax bill is just a few cents below 10 dollars and acre. For that I have a great small school, road service. ( I gave the brough the land for which they had created an illegal road on---so for years it was not maintained now it is being maintained and my neighbors are very greatfull.

Now if I become a vol firefighter my accessed value will be lowered $10,000 I only found out about this after I got the papers about the program. our church wants many of us to join as we need fire help baddly

[Freeholdfarm]

I was sitting here thinking maybe I ought to start a new thread for the discussion about property taxes as it doesn't have to do with making a living in the bush, but then I realized that it definitely does -- if you have property that you have to pay taxes on or lose it, you are in a much worse position financially than if you have tax-free land. On the latter, if you can raise or hunt/gather most of your food, and generally supply most of your needs from your local area, you can get by even on a miniscule and irregular income. And if the govt. eventually decides to chip everyone or they can't buy or sell, you can opt out without losing your home. (Though there may be changes before that comes about.) If you have to scrape up even a few hundred dollars a year for taxes, or risk losing your home, then number one, you don't really own it, and number two, you have to make sure you have some income during the year, and number three, when that chip comes, you aren't going to be able to earn income or pay taxes (unless you take the chip).

So, on to my further question! Is there a list anywhere, or could we make one, of areas that still don't have any property taxes? I know the area around Tok doesn't, or at least if that has changed in the last few years my brothers haven't said anything to me about it (and I'm sure they would). If I went back to Alaska to live, though, I'd kind of like to be a little closer to the coast -- there's a little more precipitation, and the climate is ever so slightly milder.

Kathleen

[Anataq]

No property tax where our property is...
Lake and Pen burrow, South West Alaska.

-Anataq
www.pawcreekhomestead.com