Welcome To Weed Alaska!

Imagine a town founded on the idea of legal marijuana. Alaska has legal recreational marijuana, but there are problems getting local governments to allow large scale production to be licensed. This town is different. Much like Las Vegas has used legal gambling to support a city in the desert, this small village in remote Alaska will be based on cannabis for support. Wanna live here?

I am currently investigating potentual sites to build such a town. This is not an adventure for the weak, or easlly discourged. People looking to trade work for a piece of land to build on and call thier own are encourged to apply. The locations where a new town can be formed are remote, and generally undeveloped. Bare raw land waiting for its first resident.

My experince is 20 years of living in Alaska, and the last 3 years of medical marijuana grow in Oregon.... among other things.

 

So, just where do I plan to put this town of Weed? I have been searching land for sale for just the right place. It has to be far away from all neighbors, but accessable. There has to be good farm land, and plenty of timber. The search is on, and the prospects look good. The first location is two 40 acre pieces of land on a large river just south of Denali Park. Having direct access to a navigatable river makes a huge difference in the costs and difficulty of developing remote land. While a nice river boat is not cheap, it is far more affordable than an airplane. My last homestead was a two-hour hike from the lake used for the float-plane. Bringing in plywood and such items was both expensive and exausting. The river land provides simple access summer and winter (Boat and snowmobile). This area should also have cell phone service (might take a tower get a signal). This is a very remote location, but there is a cell tower only about 25 miles away. (Note: service is residentual wireless. Costs are the same as phone service in Wasilla. The unit has more power than a regular cell phone, and it uses a large antenna.)

This is bare land. Everything would have to built from scratch. Wanna learn to build a log cabin, and live in the wilds? This could be THE PLACE to live free. ....and grow legally!

We form a town and make grows legal in accordince to the state regulations. Many small towns do not dare to allowing growing because they risk losing all city funding from the feds. Our town wiil fund itself right from the start, and avoid this pitfall.

 

How close is this too being a reality? Because I'd love to be part of it

 

This project is no small undertaking. Selecting "just the right land" is a task that I think is worth considerable time and research. Buying land from the State of Alaska can be done for only 5% down! A $50,000 piece of land only needs $2500 down plus the paperwork fees. The State also has small parcels that run around $8,000. Think of getting land for $200 down plus filing fees! This project could be done with either one large parcel or several small parcels.

The problem is not, can remote land be bought, but rather, can we find land to suit this purpose? I have a very carefully planned set of requirements for any location. There are several parcels of land currently offered by the State which look like they would work nicely. Other people wanting to be involved in the project might want to fly out with me to look over the land before buying, so I am refining the timeline as I go, but if land is not selected before October 1st, then we will have to wait until after freeze-up, and look at the land during winter. I would rather look in about a month. A "Redeye" flight runs around $120 each way if booked more than 3 weeks in advance. The flight out to the bush land will run about $600, and could take three persons out to look things over. Maybe go out and camp onsite for a few days while looking over land as a group. It would be high adventure to be sure. The land I am considering has 40 acres and is only about 10 miles from where I had my homestead.

 

Living in the wilderness is something I am very good at. The other thing I'm really good at is growing weed.... Time to put the two things together. I hope you be able to join me.

 

I found another possible location. It is an old lodge that closed about 20 years ago, and there is not really much left of the old buildings. But the location is good, and there are a few things there to make getting started easier such as the old bunk house which seems to be in usable condition. This place would be really good for a roadhouse selling gas, food, and beer to boat traffic.... among other things! The price is set based on the bare land tax value, so I might be able to buy sometime before next spring. The place has 40 acres and is located on the lower end of the Yentna River where there is quite a bit of boat traffic. There are several high-end lodges in the surrounding area, we will just have the HIGH lodge.

 

What kinds of other places are within reach of the place? Meaning will you be competing with many other ppl to sell gas, food, beer etc in the area? Or if it fairly remote where ppl will want to stop cuz it's the last/first one for awhile?

 

There are several high-end type lodges within a 10 mile radius. However only one, 12 miles up river, sells gas. Most do not provide services to locals, but are geared toward flying in their clients who buy a package deal. This area gets boat traffic from locals who live further up river in the village, and it the type of place where very few people will pass a place to buy gas without filling-up. I think people travelling up and down river would quickly make us their regular stop. Especially if they get kind service.

I think it is important to have multible sources of income. Farming is not enough to ensure success. Sometimes crops fail due to bugs or early freezes. I plan to get the best boat I can fund, as dependable transportation is critical to life on the river. Money can be made hauling, gathering river logs for firewood, or possibly working at one of the other lodges. The river is mostly flat, but has a RIPPING 12 knot current! It takes a strong boat motor to move up stream at a reasonable speed. The boat is going to cost almost as much as the land. Who knows, maybe we will be the next Alaska reality TV show! Ha Ha Ha....

 

Project is moving forward. I have been able to contact people living in the area I want to try, and they have a very positive reaction.

 

The State of Alaska is passing the laws that will make "Weed Alaska" really possible. The key is being able to use a small group in a remote area to make commercial production legal. Hers's a copy of the proposed law as currently being considered.

"The board will not approve a new license in an area that is 50 miles or more from the boundary
of a local government unless the board receives a petition to issue the license containing the signatures of two - thirds of the permanent residents residing within a radius of five miles of the United States post office station nearest to the proposed licensed premises. If there
is no United States post office station within a radius of five miles of the proposed licensed premises, the petition must be signed by two - thirds of the permanent residents residing within a five mile radius of the proposed licensed premises." (3 AAC Articles 1-9)

These rules make it possible for a small group of like minded people to make this a reality! Free live and grow in the Great North Land....

 

My significant and I are on a bit of an adventure. We would love the opportunity stay for as long as we can. We're fun but we are also professional. Hey we'll even cook for you and we definitely know how to prepare a good meal. The both of us would love to help make this vision a reality for everyone involved. If you wouldn't mind teaching us what you know we will gladly help you out for sure!!! Please email me ASAP if you wouldn't mind hosting and having us help out for awhile. Thanks!!!
Sly.Raven623@gmail.com

 

I have a departure date to leave for Alaska. March 15th. I have someone to lease my farm here in Oregon, so things are moving along.

I am seeking persons looking for either long or short-term Alaska adventure.

If you are wondering if this is something you can afford to do, here are the basic cost of getting to the Great Northland. Flight from Seattle to Anchorage on the Alaska Airlines red-eye booked at least 3 weeks in advance, not during a holiday, or peak tour season - $119.00 each way plus the fee's and taxes. Hotel in Anchorage at least $100 per night per person. Train to Nenana around $200. Then, either a short flight or long boat ride to the farmstead - around $250 per person each way. Okay, this is not a cheap trip, but at around a $1000, it is within many people's reach. Those thinking about a long-term stay in Alaska might wonder what to bring for the trip... money! It is almost always cheaper to buy your supplies in Alaska rather than trying to bring/ship them North.

 

Alaska sounds so awesome but the winters there would probably drive me pretty damn near suicide.

 

Alaska has moved forward with making the final version of its new marijuana laws. It had looked for a while like they would require more than one year of being a resident before one could work in the cannabis industry there. Thankfully, the final version of the regulations only require 30 days. Everything is still on target for a March 15 depart date.

 

Some of my friends have suggested that I should offer cabins for Vet's. I might even be able to get sponsors to help them build, buy tools, or such. I know the VA is not canna friendly, but some vets might really like the idea of a remote cabin either for a short-term "get away" or for those seeking long-term lodgings.

What do you think?

 

Well cookie I'm a VET. So my vote is YES. IM VERY INTERESTED IN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT TAGGING ALONG WITH YOU IN MARCH. WANT TO CHAT?

 

slaveofthesystem ~ Tried to message you, but as you know it is not working.

I currently have land located which is lake-front near the confluence of the Tanana and Yukon Rivers. Very nice area with lots of natural resources to utilize. The State of Alaska makes land VERY affordable to Vets. This land sale gives a $390.00 per acre discount. A person could either stay with me or buy their own place depending on whether one is seeking long or short term adventure. People who want to come out and help for a week or a summer are welcome (must pass screening process ~ keeping out the crazy's and lazy's). Or buy into your own land for less than $1000 and stay awhile. For the short term visitor, the biggest expense is transportation.

To see what this area is like watch "Yukon Men." The lake is only about 40 miles from the village of Tanana.

Decided to add a link to the land sale: http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/landsale/otc/detail.cfm?PARCEL_ID=470-1433

Note that on the USGS Topo map the lake is marked "420".... it's the elevation! I thought it was funny that the lake is 420 high.

 

I'm still interested in going to Alaska, cookiecache.
Havn't talked with you in about forever. How are you doing? How's your GF doing? Better, I hope?

 

I'm not sure what the laws are or how you came up with those figures but as the state of Maryland moves toward legalization and decrim.; I've done some work for two organizations and a few of my friends are closely involved with the process of becoming a legit grower. This one grower application has put him and his investors out for upwards of 6 million dollars to get this venture off the ground. I've seen the paperwork, the dispensary site, the grow facility. It's a huge operation, with upwards of a thousand acres plus laboratory grade grow houses.

6 million dollars for just that one grower and if memory serves there are over 500 applicants vying for 15 spots within the state. Applications too days to come in and months to review. THey still have not narrowed the list by half. 4 million of that is just from the guy who owns the land where it will be grown, half a million from my best friend's sister and her husband and the rest from private donors. That's a lot of cheese. That's a lot of money that someone else wants. County commissioners want some of it, the fed wants all of it, I can't even describe what a stink it is. The grower is also required to have a board of trustees that includes a licensed doctor.

Again, since I haven't looked into Alaska's laws I can't assume but if you're saying they are just now moving forward at the end of this year how can March be a feasible date to set up an operation you don't have a facility to grow in? Or capital? Or a dispensary? Or a clue as to how your revenue will be handled? Or security? Or staff? Even if land can be acquired, will if be within Alaska's approved marijuana production areas? The red tape could take two to three years to clear from the date they change the law.
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I I do wish you the best and hope it's as simple as you imply but I really must point out that there's a lot more to this than a red-eye flight and pitching a few tents in the wilderness..

 

WonderlostVW73: I left Alaska a few years ago to grow legit in Oregon. It has been a very easy process to get legal under Oregon's OMMP (medical marijuana) program. Next year it all changes. The new regulations are very strict, and it will become expensive for all the new permits and such. Alaska places most of the control of marijuana in the hands of the local people ~ hence the beauty of forming a town "Weed Alaska" that is founded on legal growing. There are State laws to follow, but most of the regulations can be written by us.... We can vote in our town hall meetings on the number of grows, size, production of extracts, taxes, and more. Most of the regulations should be written into our charter. Currently I serve on a local government board as Secretary, and I think we can do this. Running a small village should be within our ability. But it is going to take time, and lots of work to get everything running. The low-cost flight and camp plan is more for those who want to "look before they leap." Building a cabin is not cheap, and one must live for a while with no income. I think people who want to stay long-term are smart enough to realize these facts.

There are some aspects which I do not want to go into because I'm not a lawyer and can't give legal advise. The March 15th date is just the date I am heading North. Still, I think it will be a green fall for me and those who go with me to Alaska.

Logan 5: Doing well, but ready to head back North! Oregon has just WAY too many laws for my liking. I'm sure someone of your skills would be welcome in Weed, Alaska.