I wasn't prepared to post tonight but wow - did anyone else watch Discovery Channel's first episode of "Alaska: The Last Frontier"? I normally never post links to video or tv since I myself find some of the stuff droning on about being "green" and "sustainable" to be lacking in any true substance and I just get annoyed by all the "talk but no walk", but these folks are the real deal - no running water, 600 acres of wild frontier, plenty of hunting and firewood and smart parents and children. Unfortunately, I spent the first part of the episode flipping through magazines and not really paying attention, (my expectations of reality shows have soured the past few years!) but after what caught my attention the latter part I will definitely be going back to watch it in its entirety! This family is truly self sustainable on large acreage in Alaska, and after the real-deal humane and heartfelt butchering scene where they butcher the 17 year old family milk cow in order to save the meat since it surely wouldn't make it through the winter, I feel so much joy in that there really are regular people out there practicing real world ethics, not just for the sake of "appearance". Sometimes I get very frustrated by the portrayal of "tv & magazine ethics" and just long for real world stories, that's why I like homesteading blogs :) Anyway, check your listings, I'm sure they will rerun it, or find out if you can watch it online, I haven't checked yet, but do it quickly since I'm sure some organization will try to get this off the air (we know who). As a family who has ties to both Alaska and Minnesota, I found this show to be very true to a harsh northern get-it-all done quick, summer's short, hunting/homesteading/hard work kind of life, and the family portrayed look like some of the most sane people I've seen yet on a tv reality show, I'm sure America's typical tv audience will not appreciate it though, right?!
Interestingly enough, I found out just now the featured family is the singer Jewel's extended family, with the patriarch of the family in the show being her father.
just checked, if you are a night owl AND have cable/Discovery Channel, it's on again tonight at midnight... if you look for it make sure you don't get it mixed up with the myriad of other Alaska shows LOL, I see a "surviving the Frontier" but that's not it :) I'm sure they will show it next week too before the next new episode
ReplyDeleteI had seen a quick thing on MSN today re: the show, but didn't think anything about it. Now I'm gonna see if I can find it. Thanks for the head's up.
ReplyDeleteOh I love a good homesteader show. I don't think I could survive in Alaska or that far North. They have true cold weather and those long nights!
ReplyDeleteOK, I wimped out and changed the channel. I'd make a terrible homesteader! I'd probably have that old cow in the house....with her own bedroom so she could go in comfort.
ReplyDeleteI don't watch tv--because usually it's all blather. And hubby has been telling me of a show he watches that takes place in Alaska in which they rip up EVERYTHING in sight for gold. It sickens me. But, I will try and catch this one--sounds neat. Of course I could just go up and watch Mama Pea in action!
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My brother thought Alaska was the 8th wonder of the world. Ruth [ from hope ,faith and joy ] also mentioned we should all like this show. Looks like the real ting"Swiss Family Robinson"
ReplyDeleteSparkless, you know the only thing that's stopped me from entertaining the idea of moving to Alaska has been the fact that nobody would visit us very often LOL!
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Gran, LOL I can just see you with Bessie in the living room! What struck me the most was that even though I had a lump in the throat watching that, they filmed it in such a way that I didn't even cry, and I loved how after it was done and they were taking care of the carcass, they were just tailing about how thankful they were - but I can definitely see how some might not be into that :)
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Sue, I've seen part of that other AK show and didn't like it a bit, and one of the characters had a meth issue one season and I just didn't get it LOL. Actually this show reminded me of Mama Pea very much with all the adversity they had to face when they first started homesteading!
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Judy, I saw that Ruth watched too last night, I was able to catch the rerun at midnight here on the East Coast so I finally got to see the whole episode. I just hope PEtA doesn't get it pulled off the air, it's one of the only decent shows I've seen LOL
Geesh, this all makes me think we're missing something by not paying attention to whatever "good" things there may occasionally be on TV. Thanks for the heads-up, Erin.
ReplyDeleteSue, the most rigorous homesteady thing we've done in a long time is set our winter trapline for mice in our vehicles. Haven't killed the family cow in ever-so-long.
Thanks for letting us know about this series. Can you watch it online? We don't have a TV. Can we watch it online somewhere?
ReplyDeleteIt was a good show. Hearing Jewel was a family member was sad though. She has said her childhood was bad and she HAD to leave home early as a teeneger. I think it was sensationalized a bit too but still liked it. The math didnt add up about the 17 yr old cow which the mid to late 20's guy bottlefed as a calf, which only happens for 1st 6 month of life. Few other things too but seemed more REALITY than alot of other shows.
ReplyDeleteOk I'm officially an idiot, the 20 something could have bottlefed the cow as a 7-11 yr old boy but I rewatched that part and thought he said he was a toddler doing it. I made a mistake, wont be 1st either. I am so septical of reality I look to tear them apart.
ReplyDeleteAlaska was the first place I've ever been where wearing fur made absolute sense. . . Don't at all want to live there; respect many who do. I'm sure the kids will love it.
ReplyDeleteWow, Erin! Thanks for sharing this. I was able toget my laptop to cooperate long enough to take a look at your last post and watch this.
ReplyDeleteGirlfriend, I find it so hard to believe that you can't grow greens in December because it gets TOO HOT! That seems so impossible to me. Hope you get a cold spell soon so you can eat some greens before Spring comes and boils you out. :)
Erin, I came across you in my search for a sewing machine and got a long more than that. I have been reading with much amusement and find myself nodding my head in agreement at some of the blogs throughout the year 2011. I will have to make a better effort to stay up to date on my blogreadin. I am a midwestern resident, newly retired, and garden with great joy and gusto...my bathtub stays brown during the growing season, as I do tend to get real dirty. My question tonight is..what sewing machine did you settle on? I would like to start to sew a few things in my newly retired life and I know I am not ready for something with too many bells and whistles, but I don't want something that will turn me away from sewing. Any and all advice will be appreciated. My interest is making a few quilts, perhaps some sun dresses, something basic and simple.
ReplyDeleteQuicksilverms, hello and welcome! Well, if you need some enablers I am sure I and my blog friend can help with that :)! I ended up with the Brother 650Q, it is a quilting model and has a lot of extra features, but you might be interested in the one my mom got, the Janome Magnolia. She is a great sewer, but really wasn't interested in much other than a dependable machine with just enough features to be fun! We came across a great video review of it at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPFbiNweE0I
ReplyDeleteIt came in at around $300 and it looks to be a nice step above the cheaper craft/fabric store machines but still not up into the really pricey zone. Have fun with making the decision! I felt a little bad about getting a new machine just learning but I have really come to love it and get lots of use from it now!
Thanks Erin. I will be googling those machines asap as there isn't a lot to do once the weather goes south....not a snowbird, we tend to stay put and ride it out. I'm a southerner by birth and have been used to 50 weeks of year round warmth, Indiana has taken her toll on me and I don't care for the cold any more. So maybe sewing and blog reading can make the winter pass quicker. Thanks again
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