Born in 1952, Otto is the 6th child of Yule and Ruth Kilcher. He was raised in their small log cabin, spending his early years playing in the woods and canyons and helping with chores and farm work. His first cattle drives were on foot, walking and running alongside the few available horses.

Tinkering with everything mechanical, and figuring out how it worked was a favorite pastime. At a surprisingly young age, Otto became the fixer of everything broken on the homestead.

Living on the homestead, continuing the self-sufficient life he was raised with Otto has maintained a herd of cows over the years, providing his family with healthy grass fed beef.

Recycling and reusing is Otto's trademark as a collector of all useful stuff and equipment. Whenever he needs a certain something, Otto can make it appear out of a pile of "junk" otherwise known to him as treasure. A seasoned expert at everything it takes to be a homesteader, Otto is a guy who can pretty much do anything.

Many of Otto's life skills have been passed down to sons Levi, Eivin and August and step-son Torrey, giving them all a "can do" practical background that is rare to find these days.