Welcome to The Backyard Naturalists, the show about anything and everything connected with nature.

In this captivating follow-up episode, Laurie takes listeners back to her childhood years growing up on a remote homestead in Alaska. From age 6 to 18, she experienced life off the grid, where survival skills, hard work, and a deep respect for nature were essential. Laurie shares what it was like to endure frigid temperatures down to -50°F, live in a converted school bus before her family built a house, and be surrounded by breathtaking, yet rugged wilderness.

Listeners will hear about her family’s resourceful lifestyle—raising animals, hunting moose, and fishing to sustain themselves, as well as learning through homeschooling and tackling daily physical labor. Laurie recounts vivid encounters with Alaskan wildlife, like wolves and bears, and describes the beauty of witnessing the Northern Lights against the pristine Alaskan sky. With stories of joy, challenges, and a resilient spirit, Laurie paints a picture of a life most of us have only imagined.

This episode offers a unique perspective on homesteading and the lessons learned from a self-sufficient childhood in the Alaskan wilderness. Join Debbie and Laurie for this inspiring journey to the Last Frontier!

If you have ideas for topics that you'd like us to pursue, send us a message either on our Facebook page or our website. We would really like to hear from you.

Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.

Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com/. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.

Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists. We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.

Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to info@downtownpodcasting.com.