Arctic Homestead: 10 years living off the Alaskan wilderness
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Publicado 2022-10-09
He’d paddled thousands of miles in hand-built birch bark canoes and lived for months off wild foods alone when he met his neighbor Jenna (she lived across the creek from his cabin in a “treehouse” dwelling), who’d been exploring the interior of Alaska for few years by boat, ski, dogsled, bike, and foot.
In 2012, they found an ad on Craigslist for private land surrounded by state forest on a bluff above the Tanana River. They saw the potential for year-round food sources and bought the raw land, first living in a wall-tent. After two years on the land, they spent 3 weeks building a more permanent earthlodge: digging deep into the hill to take advantage of the relative warmth of the earth, using plentiful spruce trunks to line the home, covering it in sod for insulation and facing it due south for passive solar gain.
Two years later, they began building a traditional log cabin using hand tools (such as a gin pole for a crane). It took them 3 years to complete (building only before freeze-up), but was ready in time for the arrival of their daughter.
The couple hunt, forage or grow most all of their food. They built a smokehouse to cure the meat and fish, and an underground root cellar to preserve their produce and potatoes throughout the year.
In 2014, they began to share their experience with others, using their experience as wilderness guides, they offer stays in their original earthlodge (the Sun Lodge) or in traditional handmade canvas wall tents for days of dog sledding, aurora viewing, winter camping, ice fishing, snowshoeing, skiing and crafting (making your own wooden spoons). Their goal is to offer guests at their hand-built wilderness homestead “a deeper, more authentic experience of Alaska, one that is not centered solely on sublime landscapes and plastic accouterments, but rather the real products, people, and lifeways that make our lives in the north rich and meaningful.”
Alaska Homestead Adventures alaskahomesteadadventures.com/
Drone footage: Jeff Sousa • Alaska 2020 Birthday Trip
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/hand-built-homestead-to-l…
Todos los comentarios (21)
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I'm disabled and stuck in bed now. Watched every moment and soaked up this wonderful way of living. God bless you for sharing your home and journey with us. I truly felt like I tagged along with you and escaped my room for awhile!
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We had the privilege of staying with David and Jenna last March, sledding with their amazing dogs, and meeting their beautiful daughter Celia. We even experienced the wonder of the Northern Lights while we were there. Awesome and delightful people.
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I am 21 and was disabled from a pharmaceutical injury when I was 20. I never got to this place in life, even though I was working towards it, but this makes me happy hearing stories like this, but also sad as I never really got to live much of the life I wanted. Still I think it’s amazing to see some people out there living my idea of the dream ❤️
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I find your life style fascinating. Humble, idealistic, and yet healthy. Your food storage area is fabulous, your baby is living a terrific life and he will have so many beautiful memories.
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It’s incredible how wealthy this family is without any actual “money” affecting their lives. They truly have riches beyond most people wildest dreams through blood sweat and tears of their own. Sooo awesome to see life so fulfilled
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I wish I could run away to some place like these people immediately. I am very proud of these people. Being able to build something and then also survive are great skills!
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When your child ( children ) will see this videos I'm sure they will appreciate the work and dedication of your work 🤗
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What a gorgeous video. The silence. The envelope of starting and ending with a silent drone wide shot. Her calm narrating voice. This life is the antidote to modern living which appears to leave most people deeply unhappy. I’m sold. Thank you!
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Brave folks. I admire the courage to live in the wild. Blessings to all of them.
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Takes a special person and mate to be alone. I love being alone. So much so, my friends call me a recluse. But I enjoy knitting, reading, my art, baking cooking, etc
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Thanks for your video. A good thing is that no engine sound, no CO2. Pure natural life with healthiest atmosphere.
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This couple are amazing. Most people have no comprehension of the hard work they’ve put in and how challenging the environment is where they are.
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lol, they are probably happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their lives than 99% of people living "modern" lives.
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I live offgrid in Appalachia and it’s so refreshing to see others live as authentic as possible, reduce their consumption, build valuable skills, and enjoy the simplicity. What inspiration to see them do this.
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My wife and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED LOVED WATCHING THIS VIDEO!!!!
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💖 I absolutely LOVE this channel so much. I have not missed not having a TV for a number of years now and never knew that streaming YouTube would become the joyful experience that it is because of creators like this. This episode is so masterfully done -- no fluff, no music distraction. It is pure, unadulterated gold. The only downside? It makes watching other channels a bit more difficult after being so accustomed to this. Thank you, Kirsten, for sharing another wonderfully and respectfully presented life.
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Both of their voices are calm and flow in a relaxed and peaceful manner. The woods does that to a person. It makes you calm and peaceful.
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If you ever built cabins before you know what an incredible work ethic, skill and endurance these people have! Nothing short of spectacular! And what a way to live in tune with nature - a real power couple!
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I can't imagine feeding all of those large dogs everyday off of what could be hunted or caught....Amazing !!!....You have a beautiful home...in a beautiful location.
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You make Alaskans proud. Hard work and loving it. Bless your sweet family.
