Homestead in SE AK

Hi I live in Haines, Ak and share a few acres with my partner. We are interested in inviting folks to stay with us in exchange for worktrade. most of what we call work is enjoyable and a part of living in this environment. some of which includes: hunting, fishing, collecting plants and medicine. Some projects planned this summer include building a shop space, gardening, and doing some repairs on our 38ft wooden sailboat. The land itself is about 12 acres. 3.5 of which is a bluff over looking an amazing river. we live in a small cabin and have a modest garden with a lot of potential. The valley we live in is a very rich, relatively intact ecosystem with 5 species of salmon spawning up its rivers. Haines it self is located within a fjord called the lynn canal so there's access to ocean and all the yummy and beautiful things in it(we actually live about 30 miles from town). I'm posting this ad mainly because I want to share with folks that have a tendency to be more radical minded. My background has included activism,train-hopping, immersion into primitive skills, and a pull towards my connection to nature. so if anybody is interested give me a call 9077675626.

This sounds like what I'm looking for. If only I had a way up to Alaska...

Haines has always been on my list as a place to visit and live for awhile.

What times of year are you looking for people? Can you accept a couple? Is their a living situation for volunteers?

Maybe not this summer, but next year I can make my way up there.

Spring through fall would be great. We have a wall tent set up for guests that can be real cozy.Winter visits could also be an option but we live in a small cabin and space would be tight. This might only work for a short period say a couple weeks. Couples are welcome. This is a pretty informal situation just looking for folks who love wild spaces and want to share in the adventure of it all. As long as folks are willing to help out we are willing to share what we have. thanks for the interest.

So have you started any swiss stone pine yet?
I lived in Alaska in my early adult years. I was setting up a tree farm but lost my place to plant trees.
Swiss stone pines were to be grown for pine nuts.

Thanks for the heads up on the pines Alex. I'll have to look into that. What part of AK where you in? Have you heard of them doing good in southeast AK?

My grandparents homesteaded down in Homer. They grow vegetable that they used, traded, and sold. Also grew alot of rubarb that they sold to the jelly company in town each year.
I lived mostly in Anchorage in the 80's and 90's.

There used to be a state forest nursery in Eagle River that would grow seedlings for you.
You could order from their seed catalog and they would grow the seedling for you at a set price.
I was looking at pine nuts for long term and landscaping trees for ball and burlap in the Anchorage market.

Before I left I was looking at perennials. There is a market in the Northern lower 48 for hardy plants.
You can breed some of the hosta, daylilies, etc. yourself. With tissue culture it is not hard to greatly multiply seedlings. So once you get some good stock you can easily reproduce it. Since you have a short growing season you are likely working with what are spring flowering plants in lower 48. It should not be hard to colloect hardly plants and see what survives your area. The key to the breeding is the ability to overwinter. I was looking at tree bags or pot in pot system so I could easily move them around for breeding and winter storage in protected area. You would be collecting root stock in the fall and storing those for sale over the winter. Only issue was sometimes roots can freeze while shipping but roots are dormant so should be able to take it. You put up a Internet site and you are in business. Work the social media to get yourself and plants known.

Are you still looking for people? Are kids ok? Dogs?

We are still welcoming people to come and visit. Kids are great. Dogs could be okay we would have to feel it out.