October 13 & 14, 2011
Sheraton Anchorage Hotel
The words ‘food sustainability and food security’ seem to crop up everywhere today and are particularly relevant in a state like Alaska where approximately 85 percent of everything we eat is imported.
Today, agricultural production is possible, productive, and active in many parts of the state, especially with respect to smaller-scale production in the Interior, the Matanuska Susitna Valleys, and in Southeast Alaska.
This workshop provides a venue for bringing together Alaska professionals in livestock production, marketing and policy to:
Identify best practices that work – from the production of healthy meat to the health of the ecosystem.
Identify barriers to sustainable red meat production – from farm to market issues and consumer attitudes, preference and choice. Identify how the university can work in
collaborative ways to support the development of sustainable agriculture through research, education and extension.
Alaska is uniquely positioned to design and develop an agricultural and food production system that is unencumbered by outdated practices and old attitudes. Developing sustainable food systems is the first step toward food security, and demonstrates our strong commitment to sustainable food systems for all Alaskans.
For more information please go to http://www.uaf.edu/snras/dslp
This image shows Dean just after being presented with a team-signed classic old softball (purchased from Joanne Heitman) as a token of appreciation from the Cummings Sawmill Softball Team. Dean has been our sponsor for many years now and did not miss a game all season. We finished up our league play in first place (B,C, and D leagues) and placed 5th out of 16 teams at the State Tournament in Anchorage last weekend. A final presentation to Dean will be given at a team end-of-season BBQ that was crafted by Jo at the FGA Wood Shop. Photo Courtesy Mike Kingston
These common Alaska Harebells were photographed near Donnelly Dome on June 21, 2011 along the fiber optic line that runs parallel with the highway. The opening in the tree cover along the line provides good sunlight for all types of Alaskan Wildflowers.
This cow moose with a newborn calf are beating feet as there are three grizzly bears, a sow with two three year old cubs only 100 yards away. The photo was taken at the Savage River in Denali National Park. Photo by Steve Thomas
As seen on ESPN, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Steve Harvey’s Big Show and America’s Got Talent: Steve Carrier, Guinness World Record Holder is coming to Delta
This photo was taken between Delta and Tok. Alaska has beautiful scenery.
Larry Crowne – Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he’s worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves…often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot, who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual content. 116 Minutes
Monte Carlo – While on a trip to Paris with her best friend and soon-to-be-stepsister, Grace is mistaken for a British socialite, resulting in all three young women flying to Monte Carlo for a charity ball, auction, and the chance for international romance. However, when a million-dollar necklace goes missing, Grace and her friends must scramble to find it before the auction is ruined and their identities are exposed.
The winner of last week’s mystery photo is
The photo this week is of the Alaska Home Care sign. The purple “dot” is above the H in Home. It is with the group of signs near the Jarvis buildings next to the AK Hwy.
This wicked cloud hung over the Donnelly Flats area on Friday the
Amanita muscaria (common name: Fly Agaric) It is a very attractive and common mushroom. They can be unusually large. I could set my beverage can under it! Caps are up to 20 cm. wide and the scaly stalks can reach almost the same height. They are found on the ground in both coniferous and deciduous forest. They are a pretty, but poisonous mushroom.
The 6th annual Soup at the Sullivan Roadhouse Museum (SRM)
Three days of soccer entertainment. 7 teams participated in the tournament this year. This was a fundraiser and all the proceeds will help pay for expenses and equipment.
This juvenile Great Horned Owl, has almost lost all of it’s fluffy downy feathers.
Summit Lake was picture perfect when we passed it on Friday night heading south to Valdez. It is pretty rare to see it so calm and reflective and I took photos all the way around from different angles and they are beautiful showing different scenes in each of them. Photo Courtesy Tracy Blais
Cars – Star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. 106 minutes
Here is a picture from a campout Troop 56 went on this past weekend to Rainbow Mountain. The weather was fair and there were still plenty of blueberries to snack on. Left to right are Dean Lambert, Joseph Mock, Virgil Stockwell, Ryan Schmidt, Brandon Schmidt, Aaron Nouchi. Photo Courtesy Alan Levinson
The winner of last week’s mystery photo is 
Delta Junction boys Little League All Star Team that went and played in Valdez this weekend (Aug 6/7), Coaches: Matt Walker, Sonny Zarecki, Mike Powers. Back Row: Nico Knoedler, Derrick Mills, Joseph Mock, AJ Zarecki Middle Row: Ryan Schmidt, Josh Jurva, Caleb Pugh, Jean Gonzalez. Front Row: Jake Jurva, Zach Chappelle, Omar Powers, Ryan Zarecki
Lifelong Alaskan and Wasilla resident, Mrs. Maria Annette Chavez, 52, died Monday, August 15, 2011 from cancer at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
Friday afternoon was a nice time to be out fishing on J Lake with Mt. Hayes in the background. Photo courtesy Ellen Clark
A picture from the Gerstle River bridge as we set out on the appropriately named (by the group) Tour to Tok. It was an overnight road biking trip that included (from left: Kendra Anyan, Alan Levinson, Lindsay Pinkelman and Mike Long). Thanks to Wes and Chad Pinkelman for being an awesome road crew and the Martinez and Vanden Boom family for being morale boosters around the fire! Photo Courtesy Lindsay Pinkelman.
This is a sight that nobody really wants to see. A Grizzly bear trotting at a good pace, right towards you! The photo was taken in Denali National Park, and the photographer survived the encounter. Photo by Steve Thomas