I have been in Fairbanks for about two weeks. Already I have found some form of a daily rhythm. The town of Fairbanks, AK doesn’t have much to offer. Sure it has coffee shops, some nice restaurants, a used book store, a river that runs through town, but nothing spectacular or unique. It is sprawling, full of concrete and for the most part unattractive. But once you get out of town and climb in elevation, it all changes. It’s easy to return to land that is covered in Aspen or Birch trees. And on a clear day you can see the Alaska Mountain Range, home of the famous Mt. McKinley. The peaks loom in the distance, covered in snow and reaching 12-14,000 feet in the air. And of course on a clear day, there is the King of them all, stretching more than 20,000 feet high.
So let me back up and explain what exactly I am doing here in Alaska before I jump into any details. There is a non-profit farm called Calypso Farm and Ecology Center. Calypso is about 10 miles outside of Fairbanks and has various components. The farm grows and sells flowers and veggies. Calypso also hosts education workshops and school field trips in town and on the farm. And Calypso has partnered with schools around Fairbanks who want to participate in the School Garden Initiative. So this is where I am involved. The farm has a partnership with four schools in Fairbanks. Calypso interviewed and hired me to work with one school. So I am one of four people hired to work with a school. My title is School Garden Supervisor. I am in charge of the school garden completely. I listen to teachers and parents from the school about what their vision is for the garden. Calypso supports me in every way by supplying tools, plants, soil and answering any questions I may have.
Calypso provides the four supervisors housing for the season. We are living in an odd, A-frame house (pictured below) halfway between town and the farm. We are on a huge lot full of trees. We back up to a series of trails so there are tons of walking opportunities. Sam loves his freedom. We have electricity, but no running water. This house was empty through the winter, so all the pipes froze. It actually isn’t too uncommon not to have running water here in Fairbanks. It can be hard to install pipes and keep them from freezing. It can get so cold here that the ground can freeze up to four feet deep. So we wash dishes using a tub system. We walk to an outhouse to use the restroom. And our showers are fairly limited, but we do have a system set up. I know, rustic, but really it is not as bad as you are probably imagining. Overall the house has a homey, cozy feel. There is a great space with a big table in the kitchen for games and dinners.
My housemates include Katie, Kelsey, Colby and Sam. Katie is from Vermont and Kelsey is from Minnesota. They are both fantastic people. I have really enjoyed their company. Katie has an amazing camera and a great eye. You can check her photos from our time in Fairbanks thus far here. She is a writer and an overall energized, happy person. Kelsey is a vegan and a creative cook. She is a movie buff, a fantastic dancer and hilarious. We have all been getting along great.
The folks at Calypso farm are fantastic too. Tom and Susan are the couple that started the program. They have two beautiful, smart daughters, Adie and Elsa. There is another family on the farm and two other young workers. They have been warm and inviting. We have already had a couple of dinners, an Easter celebration and a movie night at the farm.
Well that’s the introduction to my time here. Keep the emails and comments going. I like to hear from everyone!
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