A Running Start

April 15

The week has been busy and fulfilling. I spent much of my time at my school. Throughout the week I visited 11 of the 18 classes. I introduced myself and asked the kids to talk to me about their past experiences in the garden. All of the students seemed to have loved the time they spent in the garden last fall. I created some fun activities to do with the kids in the classrooms. It went really well, everyone seemed to enjoy the games. The teachers have been very warm also. All in all I am super excited to be working with this school.

Also this week, the other three supervisors and I have been going to different schools around Fairbanks to talk to students who may want to work in the garden over the summer. The largest portion of my job is working with the summer EATinG (Engaging Alaska Teens in Gardening) program. I will essentially hire 6th-12th grade students to work with me in the school garden throughout the summer. Most of the students will be 6th graders from my school, Woodriver. But other students from middle schools and high schools around Fairbanks may also work with me in the garden. The program is a stepping-stone to a real job for these teens. It is also a learning opportunity for them to know about growing food and the issues surrounding local food.

Today, Thursday, has been a relaxing day. We finished work in the early afternoon. Colby and I decided to go on a bike ride. About 5 miles down the road from the house is the University of Alaska’s Experimental Farm. There they raise reindeer. So we biked there to see them. It is calving season and we got to see quite a few baby reindeer. They were black, awkwardly long-legged and adorable. Rob, the herdsmen at the facility, was nice enough to answer our questions. The reindeer are raised for meat. They are actually domesticated caribou. They have huge antlers that they shed every year. The reindeer and caribou are the only antlered animals in which both the male and females have antlers. We got to see some antlers from a bull. Each one weighed 17 pounds! That is 34 pounds of bone sticking out of his head. Apparently the antlers are used for self-defense and for fighting to establish hierarchy. There is another university farm in Fairbanks where they also raise musk oxen, bison and caribou. I hope to make it there next.


We have established Thursday night movies at the farm. They have a projector that we set up in one of the yurts. It is cozy with a fire, popcorn and homemade cookies. This week we are watching “Fantastic Mr. Fox”. It’s the new movie by Wes Anderson that is based on a Roald Dahl book. The film is shot with puppets. I have heard really good things about it.