From hold out off the power system in Oregon to living off the grid in Alaska this week ’s guest is very intimate with rural life . She develop up in a small lumber community in Oregon where she come across her hubby in uncomplicated school . A job opportunity moved them to Alaska shortly after their marriage where they exist off grid for almost 4 class . Listen in or read on to discover Tandy and her Alaska life style .
What you ’ll hear in this installment :
About Tandy
Obstacles Tandy has faced:
Lessons learned:
Tandy has learned so many lesson over the years . From making certain they have a big wienerwurst to help guard off predators ( moose let in ) , to finding bodily process with her hubby and family to enjoy during the drear wintertime month , to realizing maize does n’t do well in a glasshouse . Living life in Alaska has taught her so much about home , faith , and agriculture .
Tandy’s Story
Growing up in a pocket-sized residential district in Oregon Tandy was no stranger to subsist off grid , working heavily , or come together knit family but when she got get hitched with she was quick for big city hold up in a flat in Seattle . Or , so she imagine . The Thomas Kid were about six , seven , and eight when her hubby catch a line of work offer in Alaska . They had been live in a small town in Oregon while he managed a large farm when the job chance came up . After consideration they decided to take the leap . The hardest part about the conversion was the decision that Tandy and the kids were going to stay in Oregon until they could save enough to move everyone up there . When they did move up there they rented for about a year , not quite sure they were going to stay and if they did , where they would bribe dry land . Her husband ended up finding some property , the only haul , there was no galvanising ran to it . He win over her to just look at it and the residual is story .
They pass and log the country and built the frame of their off grid home . The interior was done with timber from a local cubic yard . They lived off grid for a small over three age . One of the biggest differences between off power system living in Oregon and off gridiron subsist in Alaska is body of water memory access . In Oregon they were able-bodied to have the body of water be gravity fed , pump from a local pee source into a pump on the pitcher’s mound . In Alaska , due to the frigid temperatures in the wintertime , that is n’t an option . They were haul six gallon jug up to the household and doing laundry at a laundromat .
One aspect that Tandy make love about living off grid was the nearness that their family have during that time . With no electricity and only running the generator when necessary , they did n’t have the distractions of phone , figurer , or tv . They would sit , essentially in the dark , and talk to one another and savour one another ’s companionship . They worked hard as a family to manage the chores on their homestead . They relied on one another to boom under harsh experimental condition .
One 24-hour interval while she was out running errand with the child a friend called and asked if she wanted a calfskin . She had n’t deal make livestock in Alaska but she said yes and telephone her husband and secern him that they demand to get a fencing up . He thought she was jolly at first but once that decision was made they adjudicate to do a piddling garden , then a small greenhouse , and it just kept growing . They do n’t have any equipment so everything is done by hand . Now they plant about 5,000 strawberry plant , have a 2.5 acre orchard , a large nursery , and plans to start provide green groceries commercially again and partaking in the Alaska farming industriousness after stepping out from the CSA business for the last three long time . They ’re gallant to be a part of the Alaska homesteads in the area .
Struggles in Alaska
One of the bigger struggle she has face while living in Alaska is seasonal affectional disorder . It take about three years to realize what she was experiencing . The lightbulb moment hail when her and her family were drive to church and she glimpsed the birchwood trees start to leave up . She immediately burst into ugly cry . Once she realized what was happening her and her hubby put a plan in place to combat the wintertime blues . They take hike regularly , wearing snowshoe and spending that quality time together . They also verify to get out of the state altogether at least once a twelvemonth during winter . They normally head to Oregon to visit phratry , feel the land ( instead of snow ) , and see sun more often than a smattering of hour during the Clarence Day .
Planning for winter in Alaska is well different than prepping in Oregon . In Oregon they spent a lot of metre canning and prepping solid food . In Alaska they ensure the Deepfreeze is stocked with inwardness , firewood is prepped , but Tandy think she would be canning more often too . However they ’re not able to grow the same foods , like peaches and pears , in Alaska so she actually spend less time canning than she thought she would . The heavy difference is prepping their plantation for winter . They have to take sheet of metallic element and cut through the trunks of their tree diagram to protect from mouse . If they do n’t then the mouse will burrow tunnel through the snow and eat the barque , come spring you have dead trees .
New Opportunities
Now she ’s extremely excited about the chance to write a book . She attended a Women ’s Christian Conference in July where she had the opportunity to link with a publisher . She is just in the commencement microscope stage of build a societal medium following , a web site , and everything that descend with construct a political platform . Although the title of the ledger may alter right now she ’s remember it will be “ Cultivating with Courage . ” She could probably save a record on how to go off grid or of grid aliveness supplies but the focus will be on bear faith that God steer your gradation whenever you ’re feeling stuck . When they moved there they think “ we ’re not going to farm in Alaska , who farms in Alaska ? ” small by little , one stride at a time , God has lead them on this unbelievable journey to our wildest dreams . Even now as she transitions from her executive virtual supporter business organization to a more creative penning exit , it ’s all about trusting God in the entire process .
Where can you find Tandy Sue Hogate?
She ’s still work on building her platform so we would fuck if you give her some momentum and follow her Alaska life blog , web site , and societal media pages at :
Common Ground Alaska
Instagram.com/tandysuehogate
Instagram.com/commongroundalaska
Facebook : Tandy Sue Hogate
Facebook : Common Ground Alaska
~MUCH LOVE~
