Alaska: The Last Frontier - General Discussion

[Diane M]

Thanks for the link.  Both of Eve's parents work there, but I wonder if they're divorced, since Eve doesn't talk him.  Her mother lives in Gustavus, which is on the edge of Glacier Bay.     Doesn't look like hundreds of miles, but I bet the only way to get there besides plane would be by boat. 

[Ipse Dixit]

I've read that the Matkens are divorced.

Dina's garden looked pretty neglected!!!

Loved watching Eivin make-do with what few tools Dina had at her place. May he and Eve last forever! What a perfect couple of resourceful, life-loving individuals!!

[Diane M]

I wish this topic was more active.  I love the show and would like to discuss the episodes.  

 

I like Glenn.  He has such a positive attitude. 

Wouldn't want to be a Hailstone daughter.  Do they ever get to do girly things?  And I'm not a fan of their diet.

Andy Bassich has to be one of the more accomplished people on this series.  He's always working hard.

 

Oops, wrong series. 

Edited November 26, 2014 by Diane M

[Gracie]

,

So what's up with traveling the hundreds of miles to where grandma now lives?  Did grandma move further out into the bush after Eve had left the nest?

I remember them saying that Grandma was living near Ketchikan. According to distancebetweencities.net (I don't know how to link), the distance between Ketchikan and Homer is 1,886 miles. Another place I looked said it was 1,340 miles. Either way, I'm sure that's what they were talking about.

[Ipse Dixit]

http://www.whalesalaska.org/team.htm

Eve's folks are divorced but both are whale researchers. Dena's home in Gustavus is near Glacier Bay National Park where she works, according to the link. It's on the part of alaska that's only reachable by sea or air. I'm not sure what that part of Alaska is called - it's the thin strip of land between Canada and the Pacific Ocean.

[Ipse Dixit]

Working on phone so posting a new reply is easier than editing, heh.

That link shows Eve's dad Craig as exec director of the society & its address is in Homer. FWIW. I read that Eve worked in social services for a while. Love how this group is do educated! If not formally, then they've sure paid attention to what's going on in the world. Very in-touch and articulate.

[SunnyBeBe]

I sometimes think that time management is not something the Kilchers are good at.  They seem to start late lots of times when starting early would have saved them a lot of grief.  I've heard the sons make that complaint a lot about their dads, especially Otto,.  He's admitted it too.  

 

I also wonder if they think things through sometimes.  Like when Otto strung that barren cow up on hooks.  It looked like a very dangerous situation, but he just ignored it.  When it fell, it scared the hell out of all of them, but hey...it was pretty obvious the thing was likely to fall.  lol Sometimes I just wonder how they are so good as subsistence dwellers, but lack so much common sense.  lol  I didn't grow up that way, but can see problems coming a mile away that they never seem to see.  

 

For example.  A big ordeal for them is the beaching of their boat when it gets into low water.  They never can tell when they are nearing getting stuck.  Wouldn't it be worth investing in a depth finder. I think you can buy them for around $300.00.  It seems a good investment to avoid beaching her boat and having it stuck for hours or days.  Just saying.... I don't get it.  

 

I love the family though.  I think I've seen every episode.  I'd like to see Jewel join them on an episode where they talk and sing around a campfire.

 

 I do wonder about Finley.  To be a rugged little child brought up with no frills, he seems quite the delicate type.  Did you notice how often they have mentioned what a light sleeper he is.  And the measures they have taken to keep him in a very quiet environment?  Odd, IMO.  So the child can't sleep if dad is chopping wood in the yard?  Eve also says he's very fussy.  I would think he'd be hearty like his parents.  He's a adorable though.  That's for sure.

[TEEVEE]

I think Atz Sr. is a bit of an ass.

 

The store is NORDSTROM...no s, and it is much, much nicer than Macy's. Jane shops online their according to an interview I read.

 

I think Eve and Eiven are darling, but I cringe everytime I see them with Findlay on the front of a 4 wheeler. It is illegal in most states to have a baby on a wheeler, and all passenger's should be in the back. If they insist on wheeling him, at least keep him in the back pack.

[Ilovemylabs]

I just watched the latest episode about the married partners.  I love the women of this family, especially Jane.  I noticed Eve has a little belly.  Is that left over pregnancy fat or could she be pregnant again?  She's always been so slender.

[Rosieroo]

I don't watch this show regularly but my partner loves it and I have to hold my tongue at some of the things I see because that's being all "critical" and "negative"  pfft. Me? Anyway,   I must have missed some important piece of the puzzle because I can't understand how a family who have supposedly livedon and worked this land for years can be so inept in everything they do.  The last episode I saw, the one guy was showing his son and nephew how to work with cows....these guys have to be in their late 20s to mid 30s....wouldn't they already know this stuff?  Wouldn't they  have done these things since they were children?  They just seem to be doing much of the things they do for the first time ever....what am I missing? 

[Ilovemylabs]

I think a lot of what is filmed is filmed purposely to be dramatic.  It annoys me when they imply that if they don't catch enough fish or kill enough bear or deer that they may not have enough food for the winter.  They are pretty well off and choose to live this way.  It's great that they work so hard to provide for themselves, but they are not really subsistence living.  I believe they live only about 10 miles from town.  And they need fuel to power all their vehicles and tools. For them it is more a matter of maintaining a lifestyle begun by their father/grandfather.

[Curious5]

The new homesteaders (Shawn) starting to build their house rather silly. They kept referring to the winter coming on in the show and then we see Shawn start the foundation for their home.  Say what?    I think I'd be cutting logs,  making some lumber and at least build a wood shelter at this point.  A small wooden cabin off to the side would work for the winter and then work on the main house.

 

It seems they are showing more of at least the outside of the homes this year and they do look very shabby.  Atz's place was a surprise - where they opened the Christmas presents - canned soup - for Otto's wife.

[Diane M]

Shane home canned those different soups, so better than just getting some Campell's.  I hope he used a pressure cooker or Charlotte could be getting a case of botulism.

[JayInChicago]

I like watching this show for the 'living museum' aspects of it. i wish Discovery would stop pushing the cheesy "and they have to get this meat if they expect to survive" BS. Even without being an expert on Homer, AK or the Kilchers, it's pretty obvious they have money in the bank and have many ways of making money outside subsistence homesteading.  I also wonder if Atz Lee and Jane actually live full time on the Kilcher property. It doesn't seem like they do.  I also must admit I don't like how they try to take clips from obviously different times and try to stitch it together to make a chronological story. but i mean, it's a reality show in 2015 what do I expect.

[SunnyBeBe]

I have to take off my safety cap when watching this show.  It was great that had Finley in a life vest in the boat, but Eve's mother didn't have one on.  I can't imagine allowing one person, with no life vest, to boat alone with my baby back to their home.  It didn't even phase them!  Oh well.....

 

Did you see the scene where Jane got him in the eye with the scope on the gun?  That looked soooooooo painful.  

 

The men's second wives fit in very well.  They seem to be very much in love with their husbands and the lifestyle.  I don't think I've ever heard any of them mention Eiven or Atz Lee's mothers. Have you?  I wonder if they are still nearby?

[Curious5]

Eivan and Eve's trip to Admiralty Island was interesting - think they said 500 miles south and near Eve's Mom's place.  The climate is much milder down there.  What I found interesting is that admiralty island is straight across from Chichagof Island where the Alaska Bush People group landed last week.  Wondering is Discovery bought a patch of land for them there.

 

Otto turned me off with his greed to get to the steel before anyone else.  Maybe he is the hoarder of the year.  Think he would give or sell steel to a neighbor who needed some?

 

There is an article by Jewel, his daughter that said he was a big a** according to her but is much nicer now.  She had an outlandish story about 6 years ago about how her mother and she were so poor they were living in a car and Jewel was refused care at a hospital (illegal and not true) because they couldn't pay.  It sounds like her Mom is still alive.  I'm sure they had plenty of money - Atz makes god money music wise and there is child support.

[SunnyBeBe]

From what I have head Jewel say, she grew up in Alaska living off the land.  I haven't heard the one about her living in a car.  I did see Jewel and her dad, Atz, perform the theme song from the show in a club sometime last year. They both seemed very fond of each other.  They were pretty good, except that Jewel had a dress on that as so short it looked very uncomfortable.  That kind of surprised me.  

[walnutqueen]

Jewel lived in a van for a while in San Diego, according to Biography: http://www.biography.com/people/jewel-224921

 

Local news recently reported she's working on a memoir to be published this fall : http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jan/05/jewel-working-on-revealing-memoir-to-be-published/

 

I loved the episode about the wives, and how the different relationships worked as true partnerships.  It would appear that they've all found good matches with each other, and there was a lot of mutual affection and admiration.  Nice.

[RealityTVGirl]

Has anyone here checked out Alaska: Battle on the Bay on Animal Planet? I really like Alaska based shows and decided to check it out. I think it's still figuring itself out, but it's pretty cool. Like Deadliest Catch, but with salmon!

[Curious5]

Not sure if that was the same show (Battle on the Bay) I had watched last year about salmon fishing.  I had stopped watching it because they had on an old man who continually cussed big time and use the Lord name in all his cussing.  I know people do it but Discovery doesn't have to air that garbage.

[RealityTVGirl]

No, different show. It just premiered a couple weeks ago. Pretty interesting so far. Liked the second episode a lot. Pretty cool to see how it's done up there. I had no idea. Haven't noticed the lords name being used in vain yet. This one is on animal planet.

Edited January 22, 2015 by RealityTVGirl

[Curious5]

One theme that ruins through The Last Frontier for several years is how at times Otto seems unprepared for normal cycle of events.  We watched him trying to build a shelter for cows ready to give birth in the winter.  He's been in this situation for years and now attempts to fix it?  Another situation was the heavy mud and the cows eating the hay in that mess.  Sorry but I'm sure they have had mud before.  Now he miraculously builds a feeder on top of an old flatbed truck?  The same thing goes for building a "shed" with no sides to protect his stash of hay for the winter.

 

I love the show but I do believe they are inventing activities.  Of course - how much fun would it be just to watch them do their chores?

[walnutqueen]

Not sure if that was the same show (Battle on the Bay) I had watched last year about salmon fishing.  I had stopped watching it because they had on an old man who continually cussed big time and use the Lord name in all his cussing.  I know people do it but Discovery doesn't have to air that garbage.

 

I've seen a lot of garbage on Discovery, but I don't consider cussing or taking "the lord's name in vain" to be garbage - at all.   Of course there will be swearing in a fishing show!  We're not watching a show about preachers' daughters or church socials.  :-)

 

Back to this show:  I think Otto is one of those smart but scattered people who is easily distracted by too many projects and good intentions.  I don't think any of these people take the lifestyle as seriously as they pretend to for the show.  Their livelihood depends in a large part on perpetuating the ideal of frontier/pioneer living.  That's why they have a "living homestead museum" and tourist attraction on their land and teach the art of jam making and primitive basketweaving, or whatever.  ;-)

[Curious5]

I'll try out the new program - love fishing!  Had no idea that they have a "living homestead museum" and tourist attraction on their land.  I did think the episode of them making soap was interesting.  Anyone  can learn abut country living by reading the encyclopedia of country living.  Great book.

[Curious5]

Was quite surprised by Bonnie's reaction to the shooting of the bear.  After so many years on the homestead, preparing and eating venison, bear, moose, I would have thought she would have been a bit calmer.  Yes, it's tough to see an animal die but it is obvious that Atz had the bear tag/permit to hunt the bear. 

 

If you shoot or kill an animal, you do get a sad and sick feeling because of a life lost.  That's why we are human and not just another predator.  The supreme hope is the shot is quick and the animal drops.  It was a great shot for Atz.

 

The show I hated was The Hunt because though the bears had to be thinned, the hunters were after the trophy, not needed meat.  Hope they do not go for another season of that on Discovery.

[Medicine Crow]

Was quite surprised by Bonnie's reaction to the shooting of the bear.  After so many years on the homestead, preparing and eating venison, bear, moose, I would have thought she would have been a bit calmer.  Yes, it's tough to see an animal die but it is obvious that Atz had the bear tag/permit to hunt the bear. 

 

If you shoot or kill an animal, you do get a sad and sick feeling because of a life lost.  That's why we are human and not just another predator.  The supreme hope is the shot is quick and the animal drops.  It was a great shot for Atz.

 

The show I hated was The Hunt because though the bears had to be thinned, the hunters were after the trophy, not needed meat.  Hope they do not go for another season of that on Discovery.

Couldn't agree more Curious5!!!  I only watched the show twice before I determined it was not only boring, but totally sickening!

[Maharincess]

I've seen a lot of garbage on Discovery, but I don't consider cussing or taking "the lord's name in vain" to be garbage - at all. Of course there will be swearing in a fishing show! We're not watching a show about preachers' daughters or church socials.

Yep, plus a lot of people don't believe in "the lord" and just think goddamn is just a great cuss word.

[Rosieroo]

 

Was quite surprised by Bonnie's reaction to the shooting of the bear.  After so many years on the homestead, preparing and eating venison, bear, moose, I would have thought she would have been a bit calmer.

This.  Is the biggest problem I have with this show.  They seem to be so completely inept at everything they do like its the first time they've done it.  One particular scene I saw showed one of the men ( I don't know which, they're all bumbling) riding a tractor to go do something with the cows and said basically "we'll see if this tractor can make it up there".  If this is something they do every year why are  you wondering if it will work?  I try to not be judgy and critical because Mrs. Roo loves it and gives me "the look" when I can't take it any more and say something..but in every show I've seen, someone does or says something that shows they are doing this for the first time or are just completely incompetent.

 

....and a video of me installing a wood stove?   Worse than incompetent...dangerous would be the word but I don't claim to be livin' off the land and freely acknowledge I'm 10 miles from Walmart.  I don't come from a "fishing family" so much as a family that likes to fish so video of me reeling in a fish would come with considerably less squealing and banging the fish over the head with a rock.  Is that weird to anyone but me?  

Edited January 28, 2015 by Rosieroo

[Medicine Crow]

This.  Is the biggest problem I have with this show.  They seem to be so completely inept at everything they do like its the first time they've done it.  One particular scene I saw showed one of the men ( I don't know which, they're all bumbling) riding a tractor to go do something with the cows and said basically "we'll see if this tractor can make it up there".  If this is something they do every year why are  you wondering if it will work?  I try to not be judgy and critical because Mrs. Roo loves it and gives me "the look" when I can't take it any more and say something..but in every show I've seen, someone does or says something that shows they are doing this for the first time or are just completely incompetent.

 

....and a video of me installing a wood stove?   Worse than incompetent...dangerous would be the word but I don't claim to be livin' off the land and freely acknowledge I'm 10 miles from Walmart.  I don't come from a "fishing family" so much as a family that likes to fish so video of me reeling in a fish would come with considerably less squealing and banging the fish over the head with a rock.  Is that weird to anyone but me?  

You're not alone.  Having lived "up North" for a few years, I've never seen a bunch that are so inept with cattle, farming, living off the land & just homesteading in general.  Anyone who takes this shit seriously is an idiot.  (Watching Otto slog through that cow pen had me in stitches!!  No rancher of ANY repute would tolerate that, let alone FEED in it!!  Idiots!!)

[JayInChicago]

the sad thing is i would find the show just as interesting if not more if they didn't act stupid. Is Discovery telling them to act stupid, or is it their own shtick?  

 

i really want to smoke my own salmon now.

[Medicine Crow]

the sad thing is i would find the show just as interesting if not more if they didn't act stupid. Is Discovery telling them to act stupid, or is it their own shtick?  

 

i really want to smoke my own salmon now.

It's not really that hard.  Check the InterWeb!!  LOL.

[walnutqueen]

the sad thing is i would find the show just as interesting if not more if they didn't act stupid. Is Discovery telling them to act stupid, or is it their own shtick?  

 

i really want to smoke my own salmon now.

 

JayInChicago - I watched an episode of Gordon Ramsay's The F Word where he turned a Yugo into a backyard salmon smoker ...  ;-)

[Medicine Crow]

I watched the episode where Atz (& Bonnie) shot the small black bear that Atz said weighed about 110 lbs. & claimed to get 50 lbs. of meat out of.  As I KNOW & confirmed by this link:

http://www.answers.com/Q/How_much_meat_do_you_get_from_a_black_bear

total B.S.  Not to mention the hood ties on Atz's jacket could not have been whiter.  Like they threw on "new clothes" to go pick berries & dress out a bear.  GAWD.  They must think we're mushrooms!!

[Curious5]

The cattle drive sure doesn't hold up anymore.  In years past Eivan, Atz Lee and  the youngest son were all on the drive and they had a devil of a time getting the cows home.  Now just Otto and wife bring them in...huh?  Why were all the family members doing other stuff now - making knives, scraping logs, etc?

 

If anyone knows...what was the metal that was used on the hilt of the knife?  It really looked like gold.

[peaceknit]

Jane and Atz Lee have kids?

[Curious5]

Atz Lee's kids were on a show a couple of years ago.  They stated in an article that they want to keep the children  out of the public eye.  These people are media savvy and perhaps are developing a second story of the family living at the second "homestead" that Atz Lee referred to at the last segment on the show.

 

Too much complaining about the "warm" weather on this episode.  Why didn't they go over to the island Atz Lee and Eivan were at last year?  Plenty of deer there and no climbing.

[BitchOnWheels]

Looks like Atz Lee and his daddy have lots of traffic and DMV violations... Oh!  And Domestic violence????

 

http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/eservices/?x=p78CXkrT2LsT-q91K2JTaQ

This.  Is the biggest problem I have with this show.  They seem to be so completely inept at everything they do like its the first time they've done it.  One particular scene I saw showed one of the men ( I don't know which, they're all bumbling) riding a tractor to go do something with the cows and said basically "we'll see if this tractor can make it up there".  If this is something they do every year why are  you wondering if it will work? 

I asked myself this very question.  You would think that after generation upon generation, they would have tried and true methods of "stuff", but no.  And how did Charlotte manage to milk without her milking parlor for all of theses years?  WTF?

I think Atz Sr. is a bit of an ass.

He's an ass with a domestic violence history.

I wanted to strangle Otto when he almost drowned that calf.  He's an incompetent dick.  And shooting and dressing a cow in front of the other cows and then saying, I shouldn't have done that?  Stupid asshole.

[BitchOnWheels]

Making soap?  I thought that was a bit ridiculous.  My grandmother made soap 60 years ago, but I bet she wouldn't go to all that trouble today.   I think the products that are available today are a lot kinder to sheets and towels.

So ridiculous.  If making soap were something they did regularly, Charlotte would not have busted that glass jar.

[peaceknit]

Wasn't this epi just a rehash of past shows?

[Medicine Crow]

Wasn't this epi just a rehash of past shows?

I don't think so, but it's getting so hokey I'm out.  Glad "the season" is over so it can die in peace.  Crap, pure crap.  The "killer" for me was Jane getting all skeeved out when they skinned a deer.  Oh my!!!

[JayInChicago]

is this really atz lee as hedwig?

 

i mean, i was just googling or whatever

[peaceknit]

It sure seemed like it. I recall already watching the cow being slaughtered, the hawk being caught up in the chicken coop, digging the well, in other episodes. Maybe the TH were additions though. Disco is famous for rehashing shows and I think it stinks.

[NEGirl]

I enjoy this show but when they go on and on about starving if they don't get meat - PLEASE ! They live about 10 minutes from Homer, own three stores in Homer and are multi-millioniers. According to Jane's FB page she is a registered RN. Atz Lee talks often about their second homestead, so, I would guess he and Jane don't live in the crappy house they always show him working on. They love to do the DC bs thing big time.

[MissT]

Just in case anyone is interested --- Eiven and Eve had a baby girl on September 28th.  Read it on People site.

[walnutqueen]

Just in case anyone is interested --- Eiven and Eve had a baby girl on September 28th.  Read it on People site.

 

Despite all the Disco nut-fuckery, I think they are going to be awesome parents to their little boy & baby girl. 

 

I've inadvertently been catching a few promos for the show, and they seem Disco-dramatic, for sure ...

[Maharincess]

I'm reading the book about Dick Proeneke for the 20th time. That man was incredible. I first read about him years and years ago and have watched and read anything I can get my hands on about him since. I've been fascinated by Alaska since I first heard his name.

I don't know what that has to do with anything, but I love this show too. It does seem to have gone downhill since the first season but I don't care. I still love it and I love most of the family.

I just can't warm up to Jane though. She complains way too much for my taste and always has to remind us about the "beautiful" "gorgeous" "elegant" house she grew up in. I do like the rest of them though.

And I agree with WalnutQueen that Eivan and Eve will be great parents to the new baby. Findlay seems to be happy and thriving.

Edited October 5, 2015 by Maharincess

[Curious5]

The show has definitely gone down the tubes since the first year. One problem is that we aren't stupid and research the location. When we find out that Safeway is eight miles down the road, we DO realize they won't starve without a moose or salmon. That line is so old and used by so many shows, it is sickening. "I have to feed my family..." Otto and Atz are both worth millions of dollars.

Then we get to Otto that they want us to believe he just thought about feeding the cattle from a wagon instead of throwing it in the mud. Give me a break. Or this year when he "designed" a six wheel wide wagon to haul his large rolls of hay. Been there all his life and just figured that out?

They have been milking in the corral and poop going into the milk for years until last year when he built a milking stable. The one son trying to build his house by himself while everyone else runs up the hill to build an extra building for Atz Lee.

Time to move on....Let find a young couple really trying to survive in the wilderness.

[Lemur]

Anyone else still watching this?  It's getting more and more contrived by the day.  

[MissT]

I still watch the show, but I agree it's so staged.  They have the same issues every season.  I only watch it because there really is nothing else on that interests me, but the last few weeks I found myself falling asleep or turning the channel.  Is just the same things over and over - we don't want to starve to death, Atz saving the herd, Jane whining about not being a man and killing things, Otto looking through the junkyard.  

[walnutqueen]

I could do without yet another inevitable delayed start, perilous rising tides and river crossings of the cattle drive.