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How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Old Jun 14th 2017, 5:38 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

I can respond more thoroughly once I have left work. However, my post wasn't regarding visas... that's the hubby's task to find and sort that out. As for the poultry, a lot of you missed the rare and pure bit in my OP. With some breeds that are sought after in the U.S. and sold for $500 a pair. And yes there is a market as Alaska holds a poultry show annually. And no I'm not being optimistic as I'm already being asked to ship birds over to the US as the lines over there are mediocre compared to here in the UK. As for jobs/money -its homesteading. Living off the land. Swapping produce and favours for the stuff you need, hunting and gathering. And as far as I've seen myself and stated, having a lodge on your property for rental would equate to $1200 income per month. Compared to the $300 mortgage that we've already researched. As I said I'll respond further later on.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 5:52 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
I can respond more thoroughly once I have left work. However, my post wasn't regarding visas... that's the hubby's task to find and sort that out.
With the greatest of respect, you can't expect forum members to take time to help you work out things like schooling if you don't even have a route to a visa, it would just be a waste of their kindly volunteered time. Visas need to come first, or everything else is moot.

You mentioned lots of things your hubby had spent ages researching in your opening post, but didn't mention visas at all, so of course it will be the first thing forum members ask about.

As aid above, nothing you've said so far means you would be eligible for any kind of permanent visa, so I would suggest you chat with hubby and ask him what visa he's proposing you all move on. Once you've got that info and the lovely forum members know you can move at all, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you work out whether or not you'd be able to work on that visa (not all would allow you to - and that would include 'selling your wares or hosting guests', both of which are work), living off the land, schooling, community, etc.

One other thing that you didn't mention your hubby had researched in your first post is healthcare, that's another essential to ask him about. You mention moving because all your money in the UK goes on paying bills, but as you wouldn't have healthcare cover in the US and would need to buy healthcare insurance yourself, you'll need to factor that in to your cost of living calculations, which will make a huge difference.

HTH and best of luck.

Last edited by christmasoompa; Jun 14th 2017 at 5:55 am.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 6:37 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Rete
Seems rather open to me. You just need a way to obtain a visa to live and work in the US.
It's not open at all, it's largely family-based as those figures indicate, half of the people who come in via family-based (or more than half) do it via marriage. The number for employment-based is peanuts, more people get into Canada on an employment-based reason than that. The quota for the US is 140,000 and in Canada it's 250,000. Around 10% of the US population is foreign-born and in Canada and Australia it's around 20%.

Anyway they could do E-2 if they really want to but that's a non-immigrant category obviously so when their daughter hit 21 she would have no status in the US. They could have another kid who could sponsor them for LPR status when s/he hit 21 but that wouldn't help their daughter. Sibling sponsoring sibling now is something like a 40-year wait for a visa.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 6:45 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
I can respond more thoroughly once I have left work. However, my post wasn't regarding visas... that's the hubby's task to find and sort that out.
Look, honestly this sounds like a hair-brained idea. Homesteading died out long ago in Alaska. Moreover Alaska only has a population of 750,000 and a really high cost of living. They just released a report this morning that there will only be one ACA insurer for healthcare in Alaska next year so the cost for healthcare for a self-employed person in Alaska will be eye-watering next year, probably north of $20,000 a year for a family of three - that's just for the insurance, that's not the total cost.

You'd get open employment authorization as the spouse of someone on E-2 but a retail job isn't going to get you much.

If you really want to do this, Canada is a better option, but in Canada we have the supply management system so you'd be making peanuts.

Also, the weather in Alaska is worse than it is in Alberta, and in Alberta we have serious winter weather for five months of the year.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 8:02 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Just a thought OP, if visas and/or the cost of healthcare prove prohibitive and you can't or don't move to the US, then how about looking elsewhere in the EU where you can go (at the moment) freely without a visa. Somewhere like Bulgaria would be super cheap and possibly somewhere where you could be self sufficient?
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 8:19 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

In my defence my post title even states the word 'dream' and no where in my original post or first reply did i even suggest that we at this current time, this second or even this decade that we are financially ready or even suitable to make this 'dream' a reality. You've all jumped onto an assumption. I was merely putting out the feelers on the community aspect- which to be frank if you can't even reach a basic understanding on a free forum, where people are wasting their free time on you - which may I add that you all logged in, saw my post and decided to become involved in at your own free will.
I cannot see the reason behind some of you responding so arrogantly as you are. Yes I haven't a clue on visas, I never claimed to -just the same as I never claimed that this was a plan in motion. I had however mentioned research and asked for your help on certain matters which none of you have actually come through with advice. If this forum is not for those looking for sound advice and help along the way whatever stage you may be at with your plan/idea then show me the page description where it states that members will be completely arrogant and negative towards you unless your actually pulling your finger out of your arse.
I'll not bother with your time any further as clearly I've found the wrong group.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 8:26 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
In my defence my post title even states the word 'dream' and no where in my original post or first reply did i even suggest that we at this current time, this second or even this decade that we are financially ready or even suitable to make this 'dream' a reality. You've all jumped onto an assumption. I was merely putting out the feelers on the community aspect- which to be frank if you can't even reach a basic understanding on a free forum, where people are wasting their free time on you - which may I add that you all logged in, saw my post and decided to become involved in at your own free will.
I cannot see the reason behind some of you responding so arrogantly as you are. Yes I haven't a clue on visas, I never claimed to -just the same as I never claimed that this was a plan in motion. I had however mentioned research and asked for your help on certain matters which none of you have actually come through with advice. If this forum is not for those looking for sound advice and help along the way whatever stage you may be at with your plan/idea then show me the page description where it states that members will be completely arrogant and negative towards you unless your actually pulling your finger out of your arse.
I'll not bother with your time any further as clearly I've found the wrong group.
Everybody has simply pointed out that the US is one of the hardest countries in the world to get a visa for, and you listed a whole load of things that your husband had spent ages researching, but visas (and healthcare) wasn't among them. Added to which, the choice of visa has a huge bearing on things i.e. you might not be able to work, your child may not be able to stay long term, etc, etc.

Nobody has been arrogant, or rude to you, but simply tried to point out that you need to look at visas and work out if you're even eligible to move/work before worrying about the finer details.

If your husband has in fact, researched visas, and knows which you'll be moving on then that's great, and if you just mention it then everybody can help you further. Everybody here has tried to help you, even if you can't see that, but to get good info you have to give good info (as Ian often says!). So without the visa info, it's hard to help you further and that's why everybody is asking about it as so much does hang on your visa status there.

Best of luck with it anyway.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 9:21 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
In my defence my post title even states the word 'dream' and no where in my original post or first reply did i even suggest that we at this current time, this second or even this decade that we are financially ready or even suitable to make this 'dream' a reality. You've all jumped onto an assumption. I was merely putting out the feelers on the community aspect- which to be frank if you can't even reach a basic understanding on a free forum, where people are wasting their free time on you - which may I add that you all logged in, saw my post and decided to become involved in at your own free will.
I cannot see the reason behind some of you responding so arrogantly as you are. Yes I haven't a clue on visas, I never claimed to -just the same as I never claimed that this was a plan in motion. I had however mentioned research and asked for your help on certain matters which none of you have actually come through with advice. If this forum is not for those looking for sound advice and help along the way whatever stage you may be at with your plan/idea then show me the page description where it states that members will be completely arrogant and negative towards you unless your actually pulling your finger out of your arse.
I'll not bother with your time any further as clearly I've found the wrong group.
Only one person being rude on this thread!!!! You have been offered some good helpful advise to try and make this 'dream' a reality. Hope it works out for you but along with the other posters, l would start with the fundamentals. Good luck.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 9:48 am
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Indeed - $8k a month turnover, approx $6k clear profit for a new farm. Perhaps not as much as some other places, but for NE GA where the cost of living is lower?

Pretty damn good!
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 12:14 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
.. If this forum is not for those looking for sound advice and help along the way whatever stage you may be at with your plan/idea then show me the page description where it states that members will be completely arrogant and negative towards you unless your actually pulling your finger out of your arse.
I'll not bother with your time any further as clearly I've found the wrong group.
We have been neither arrogant nor negative, but you need to understand we get people come here fairly frequently, every week or two, looking for detailed advice on their dream to move to America, but they have no route to a visa. So any time spent discussing schools, housing, weather, and community involvement would be an utter waste of everyone's time, theirs as well as ours, if they cannot get a visa. You might as well discuss your plans for homesteading on the moon, but without a rocket ship to get there, it is pretty pointless.

There may actually be a kernel of an idea in what you have posted if there really is a market for pedigree heirloom poultry, potentially leading to a business that would support an E-2 visa, but if you asked about that I would suggest getting some cheap land out in the sticks, somewhere in or near the Appalachian mountains, anywhere from upstate New York to Alabama, or even further west in Mississippi, Lousiana, or Arkansas, as the cost of living is much lower and, depending on your choice of location the balance of winter or summer weather more agreeable than Alaska.

To make a go of an E-2 visa you should probably think about having an initial investment of $200,000+ but with cheap land and cheap housing that should be enough to get you started with fifty acres and a small home.

Last edited by Pulaski; Jun 14th 2017 at 12:16 pm.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 12:27 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Dollymixture1
Hi there ☺
Mrs.Graham here, my husband, our 7yo and myself currently live in the UK we work full time. My husband a skilled mechanic both in vehicles and agriculture machinery. I myself have experience in accounting but since our daughter, retail is more convenient. As well as full time jobs we run our own poultry business. Specialising in the very rare and pure poultry breeds. We have raised livestock to fill our freezers, both meat birds and sheep. We are familiar with guns as we like to be pro active with pest control on the farm we rent. This lifestyle suits us very well. However, when your rent is extotionate and all you seem to be doing is paying the bills the dream of living off the land here at home in the UK will see us well into our 50s before it's affordable. My husband has spent quite a lot of time recently researching emigrating to Alaska -apparently the only place left where you can homestead. He has found land, researched local schools, hospitals, property tax, even local cabin builders. He has even researched what we can do to not only be successful but to contribute to the community. According to him there is a shortage of poultry farms -which suits us. Livestock also. A lot of importing from the lower 48 and so he has even found a niche. He also knows that certain things like tools, chainsaws, machinery ect will be cheaper to bring over with us. As I say he really has done his homework. And I have told him, if he finds the money we will go.
The reason for my post is that I myself need to research the bare basics. Leaving home and family to be self sufficient, in an unfamiliar environment to quite literally start from the ground up. What am I to expect? Are new comers/ foreigners welcome, embraced even? What is community like for support? Will my daughter be accepted or out cast?
I myself don't see myself finding work as I would normally here in the UK, I believe that produce, accommodation/lodgings are just a couple of things that are popular, and I can see myself selling my wares or hosting for guests. Not for one second am I oblivious to the hardship, the time it will take to become established, the drastic change in climate, the more hands on approach to the most basic need to survive. It all sounds wonderful and exciting, but for me I need to start thinking of the realisations.
Oh and my husband has been more inclined of the anchorage area.
Any advice, negative and positive welcome. I want to hear it all, learn from your experiences...
If you can solve visa issue, one avenue to consider would be to research the Indian development organizations or US department of agriculture.. They have a variety of funded programs, and positions that could be of interest.

I really doubt it will be cost effective to bring over any quantity of tools etc.

Your husband being a skilled mechanic, and with your interest in livestock, etc , I would think Alaska has some good potential.

But parts of Eastern Europe for such a lifestyle may be more feasible.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 1:01 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

So is this just a distant dream that may or may but come to fruition within a decade or is it something you have done an enormous amount of research on? You say your husband has found land, researched all sorts of aspects of it but now you say it's just a dream. There's not much point in researching land if you're not coming for another 10 years or so. It's also not even worth researching visas unless this is an imminent move - as the current "captain of the ship" here is very keen to cut down on work visas (or so he mumbles from time to time) in order to ensure jobs go to Americans so there is every chance that the whole employment visa system and categories could see a massive cull anyway.

We are not being unhelpful or negative. What you have seen here is the reality. We have all been there, done that with regard to immigration and we know what is and is not currently possible. It's unfortunate that the answers are not the ones you wanted to read but that doesn't mean they are wrong.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 2:39 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Has your Husband posted on here? If so could you point us in the right direction?


Only one O Care Insurer where I am in Colorado, possibly none next year, now they want to add 1% to sales tax to fund the local clinic.
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 2:54 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Originally Posted by Pulaski
what do you do in the winter
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Old Jun 14th 2017, 4:17 pm
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Default Re: How to make my husband's dream come true - homesteading in Alaska

Try watching The Last Alaskans on TV. Might bring some realities of the life up there! that said, if you can give us a clearer indicator on what visa you hope to get, people will be able to give much clearer advice.

Random, have you look into crofting in Scotland? Sounds pretty identical to what you propose, and ironically a slightly better climate!!
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