I have been on the road/plane since May, so I will just make this blog post into a photo documentary of sorts.
Texas, for Annie's Panola College graduation ceremony.
End of May had me on a REACH Academy school trip to the south of Alaska, Seward, with Rob and some other students. We took the Alaska Railway system and it was an adventure and amazing scenery to enjoy!
Mid-June, was a visit to Palmer Alaska, to see the twins and their awesome parents.
Then a week with the Tanana Chiefs Conference folks in Fairbanks. A week of Athabaskan Heritage Events.
July is almost gone and we've had events here at our farming community in Dry Creek as well. Independence Day had the community out in full regalia, as usual, good food, good company.
May's garden project, log cabin building, our new shed project. Winterizing cabins - yikes getting ready for winter already! Finishing firewood distribution (mainly Pat).
As the world turns - Dry Creek is never still, or boring.
Texas, for Annie's Panola College graduation ceremony.
Mid-June, was a visit to Palmer Alaska, to see the twins and their awesome parents.
Then a week with the Tanana Chiefs Conference folks in Fairbanks. A week of Athabaskan Heritage Events.
July is almost gone and we've had events here at our farming community in Dry Creek as well. Independence Day had the community out in full regalia, as usual, good food, good company.
May's garden project, log cabin building, our new shed project. Winterizing cabins - yikes getting ready for winter already! Finishing firewood distribution (mainly Pat).
As the world turns - Dry Creek is never still, or boring.
thanks to Mike B who helped with the shed
Mays garden looking lush
Some quick highlights:
The Williams family, plus some much-needed helpers (Michael, Emily, Kelly and May) helped with the tethering and haying. Square bales and round bales will be used for our animals during the winter.
We had a profitable summer - our garden and greenhouse has done very well thanks to May (garden) and Wendy (greenhouse) and their helpers. BTW, the cheeses are doing well too! Our first crews of hunters went out August 31, and we have not heard of any moose news yet. This morning we had our first fall frost. The temperature stayed at 31 for quite some time. We have yet to put up the root crops and cabbages so we are in the clear.
Jairo Cruz, from the East Coast, is here for a few weeks. He came in 2016 and stayed for several months. Joe Brandes and Josiah from Maine are living at Mark Coy's cabin and have been for several months.
This spring Kathryn and John Clark moved to Hoonah Farm. We miss them greatly. When they moved, Kevin and Kelly and their little one, Stephanie, moved into the hay bale house on the other end of the community (other end from my end of the farm). Upon their move, Ellie Kennison, from Maine, moved into Kevin and Kelly’s previous house (location being where the Riche’s home was built), used to be Rachel Trotter's and before that Jason Tate's.
Trotters have put a garage onto the house that Stacey and Kenny built so they can easily keep their car warmed for ongoing doctor’s appointments. Bro Andy is doing very well at this time. He has continual upkeep treatments, but he has a schedule that he seems to handle well.
Last month we had a short exodus of our youth who all went various ways but all ended up in Tennessee at Kayleigh Popplewell and Jonnie Squire’s wedding. Kayleigh and Jonnie, although coming here for hunting season, will relocate to TN.
Concerning the youth that went away, Amanda Nerbonne went to Haiti with a ministry crew. They all ended up getting very sick with a stomach bug right before re-entry to the states. Lindsey Williams attended the South Florida convention and visited family and friends in GA. I guess Chloe Mason went straight to TN. Michael Squires, Joe Brandes, Nic VanderHart, and Benj VanderHart all went to GA then bussed to TN. They weren’t fond of that bus trip so they caught rides with Mitchells back to GA. Judy and Steve also went off to GA, TN, and then back to GA where they still are.
Speaking of Nic, he applied to and is now attending the University of Fairbanks for the next couple of years. I heard he is home this weekend, but I have not laid eyes upon him.
Rose Dunning has had some family members visiting this past week. They were very interested in farm life and joined into all the things we were doing. A cousin and two sons and a niece Angela Schear, whose parents Pat and I met when at the Shepherd's School of Music in BC...eons ago it seems. May took us up to "Squeakies" last Saturday and it was a good climb.
Jim and Bonnie are getting places in their cabin building venture. The loggers put up the walls on their cabin and the Masons have stained the logs. The roof is on too. Jim and Bonnie are gone for a reunion in Maine at the moment.
Some of the photography students were able to go up on a chopper ride with a visitor who came to Dry Creek. This one is from Nic VH.
Things at the Land “where the milk and honey flows” are well.
Have a great fall everyone!
UPDATE:
Tommy and Cody have each shot a moose on the third day of hunting season. Today, Seth and Ammy took five horses to Fish Lake to bring out Tommy’s moose.
Kenny and James Jepsen have come to visit Kevin and Kelly and Stephanie (and the rest of us Jepsen's) but also to go out on the Jepsen hunting crew. It has been nice to have them around.
Jonnie and Kayleigh arrived on Sunday and will go out on a hunting crew later this week. They are staying at Judy and Steve’s house for their short stay since the Squires Sr’s are still in the states.
May is busy buttoning up the garden - she filled a 100-pound bag full of our own home-grown onions. We have a wee bit of beets to harvest and all the potatoes and carrots. The greenhouse is nearly shut down. Our beautiful flowers are past their prime and will be put away soon.
Moose season is in full swing! Rob, Micah, Michael, and Tommy will be going out for a night-over mid-September to 3030 (the hill behind our farm). WTG! First time for Micah and Robbie of course, should be fun.
Kenny and James Jepsen have come to visit Kevin and Kelly and Stephanie (and the rest of us Jepsen's) but also to go out on the Jepsen hunting crew. It has been nice to have them around.
Jonnie and Kayleigh arrived on Sunday and will go out on a hunting crew later this week. They are staying at Judy and Steve’s house for their short stay since the Squires Sr’s are still in the states.
May is busy buttoning up the garden - she filled a 100-pound bag full of our own home-grown onions. We have a wee bit of beets to harvest and all the potatoes and carrots. The greenhouse is nearly shut down. Our beautiful flowers are past their prime and will be put away soon.
Moose season is in full swing! Rob, Micah, Michael, and Tommy will be going out for a night-over mid-September to 3030 (the hill behind our farm). WTG! First time for Micah and Robbie of course, should be fun.
NO RAIN PLEASE! MAKES IT SO MUCH HARDER TO TRACK, HUNT AND GET THE MEAT BACK TO CAMP!
HAPPY HUNTING EVERYONE!
