FARM TOURS - EDUCATIONAL AND FUN From the Cooperative Extension Service
The 6th Annual Delta Farm Tour had a nice mix of folks on the all day bus tour that took participants through the scenic Tanana Loop farming area.
Pete Fellman and family were enthusiastic regarding their dairy and prospects of building a cheese plant. Folks were impressed with the involvement of the whole family in their operation. Scott Miller's beef feedlot and elk ranch proved to be a hi-light on the tour. The elk were up close and personal so participants were able to get a good look at these noble creatures. Scott did a fine job of describing his ranching practices.
The Alaska Grown Luncheon was served on location at the Reece Homestead Farms-located beneath the gentle slopes of Four-Mile Hill. The sun came out to warm the crowd during the feast. After lunch participants were taken on a tour of the carrot farm and processing plant. Lew & Judy are great hosts and certainly know their carrots.
The next stop was at Delta Produce's potato fields where a viewing and discussion of potato production in the Interior was given by Lyall Brasier, a Delta farmer for 27 years. Last stop on the tour and a new addition to the tour schedule was Nickay's Country Garden; owner Nick Wardle awed the group with a fabulous display of fresh produce. The Wardles have done an outstanding job creating not only a valuable enterprise, but also an eye-pleasing operation.
One participant's comment regarding the tour: "I am so glad I attended the tour. It was enjoyable, enlightening and educational; well planned; farmers were very accommodating and forthcoming with information. It felt like a real cooperative effort with mutual respect among them. Thanks for the memorable experience."
Some of the notable guests on the tour were, state officials: Senator Georgianna Lincoln, Representative John Harris, Senator & Mrs. Torgerson, Representative Gene Therriault as well as staff members from Senator Wilcox, and Representative James offices. University of Alaska representatives: Chancellor Marshall Lind and wife Lois. Cooperative Extension Service (CES) employees: Bob Gorman, Hunter Michealbrink, Julie Riley, and tour guide Phil Kaspari. School of Agriculture (AFES) representatives: Acting Dean, Dr. Carol Lewis, Dr. James Drew- retired dean, Professor Steve Sparrow, Jeff Werner, and Terry Lyle. Media people: KUAC rep, John McWhorter, who broadcast several interviews with producers on KUAC-FM the next few days following the tour. Fairbanks Daily News Miner staff reporter Diana Campbell and photographer Matt Haeg. An interview with Scott Miller regarding his elk ranch ran in the News Miner the following Sunday. Agriculture folks, State & Federal, included: Farm Service State Board representatives: Mike Carlson, Marsha Melton, Jean Strutz and State Executive Director Karen Olson. David Mueller, USDA Agricultural Statistician, and his family. Alaska Division of Agriculture/Agriculture Revolving Loan Fund rep Ray Nix and son. Meg Reich with the Alaska Grown Program not only attended but provided a display of "Alaska Grown" at the luncheon site. Marcia Ward, local elk rancher and hay producer, acted as tour guide.
Next summer the tour is scheduled for the second Wednesday in August and will feature a tour of the Clearwater area. Keep the Delta Farm Tour in mind for a summer activity. Get to know your neighbors and get a look behind the scenes for farming in the last frontier.
The Cooperative Extension Service, Delta District and the Alaska Farm Bureau-Delta Chapter sponsor the Delta Farm Tour. For information regarding tours please call CES at 895-4215 or stop by the office located in room 115 of the Jarvis Office Center. Hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A big thank you to all the Delta Farmers that allow these tours to come to their farms. Without your support, and dedication these visits would not be available to the public.
Phil Kaspari, Alaska Cooperative Extension Service -- August 24, 2000
The 1999 Donnelly Flats fire went zooming right by Bolio Lake as this photo by
Michael Kingston illustrates. A 1981 fire coming from near Donnelly Dome
almost burned out the facility.
Debbie Jennings son Justin McClintic took this picture of the
mountains near Delta that have been hiding recently. These look
suspiciously like they may have some new snow.
Delta Junction's Boy Scout Troop in New Mexico
During the early part of July, Fronty Parker, along with his
son Caleb, Mike Coulter, Paul Bealer and Matt Sharp journeyed to Philmont, New
Mexico.
Parker relayed to us that "It was a 10-day, nearly 70 mile
trek through fabulous wilderness." The guys climbed Mt. Baldy, which
is the highest mountain (12,400 feet) on the 153,000-acre Boy Scout ranch they
were at. The first picture (below) shows the boys a day away from Mt. Baldy in the
background. The next picture is on top of Mt. Baldy. (shown in the August
archives) The
second picture is typical of the trails through ponderosa pine forests we traveled through.
And last is a sample of the activities, in this case tree climbing, that the troop was involved with each day.
Jerry and Brendan Clancy formally of Delta Junction joined the scouts from New Hampshire.
One day away from Mt. Baldy. Photo courtesy of Fronty Parker.
Photo courtesy of Fronty Parker.
Photo courtesy of Fronty Parker.
Fronty Parker -- August 14, 2000
Larry Dorhorst stands in front of the Sullivan Roadhouse at its original
location along the little Delta River. Photographer Michael Kingston was
helping Dorhorst build two trapline cabins when they stopped for lunch at the
abandoned roadhouse in 1974.
Recently, several Boy Scouts from the Delta area went to Philmont, New
Mexico on a scout trek. The troop is shown here on top of Mt.
Baldy. Photo courtesy of Fronty Parker.
With Mount Hayes in the background, the leaves of fall begin to turn. Photo courtesy of Michael Kingston.
One more shot of Colombo's many bison. This male bull looks at the
photographer and wonders where his "snack" is? Photo
courtesy of Michael Kingston.
Donna Gardino caught these cranes in flight near Big Delta.
Nick Colombo gives a snack to one of his bulls. These buffalo may be
seen at 3.7 mi. Clearwater road. Photo courtesy of Michael Kingston.
Carrie Harris and Tawnee Wardle play in the Wardle's new
swimming pool. Photo courtesy of Kay Wardle.
As many people are noticing, it is no longer as light as it used to be at 4 a.m.
This picture was taken in mid-July. Delta News Web Photo.
A local band jams out some tunes at the
Deltana Fair. Delta News Web Photo.
Richard Tafoya, also know as "T-Bird" raises the flag at the
Forestry Station on the Deltana Fair Grounds. Delta News Web Photo.
Julie Stephens stands by the direction sign at the Deltana Fair over the weekend. Delta News Web Photo.
Julie Stephens is having a boy!
On Saturday August
19th, Nicky Stephens and Linda and Katie Johnson threw Julie Stephens a baby
shower. Julie is 7 1/2 months along and doing great. Reuben John
is the proud Dad. The shower
was a lot of fun and had a wonderful turnout - about 30 ladies from all over
the community. The laugh of the afternoon was a game that was played
with one difficult rule: no one could say "baby"! At
the beginning of the shower, everyone was handed a clothespin. If
anyone was caught saying the forbidden word, they had to give up their pin.
Whoever had the most pins at the end won. The winner of that game was
Julia Phillips with 14 pins. Another game that
was played was a guessing game. Everyone was asked to bring a baby
picture of themselves. All the pictures were numbered and hung on the
wall. There was a total of 23 pictures and the winner guessed
14! It was a tie between Miranda Mansfield and Caitlin Hanson.
One fluke in everyone's guessing was a mysterious baby whom no one could
agree on. It turned out to be a picture of Jim Dorff. Beth
couldn't find one of herself so she slipped one of him in instead! All
in all the shower was a beautiful celebration of new life and an enjoyment
for all. I would like to personally thank everyone who came for making
the event so special for Julie. It was a blessing for her and for me
as well.
Julie Stephens (l.) opens her gifts at her shower this past Saturday.
Daddy Reuben John is in Montana fighting fires. Photo by
Delta News Web.
Sonya Taylor, Chris Boerst and Nicky Stephens talk about the baby. Delta
News Web Photo.
John Jenkins Jr., son of Gwen and John Jenkins, sits on his Grandmother
Linnea John's lap and sings with her at Julie's baby shower. Delta
News Web Photo.
Katie Johnson --- August
24, 2000
Michael Kingston snapped a picture of these two migrating swans at Bolio Lake
this week.
Our highway neighbors down the road aways use this sign to welcome visitors. Photo by David Johnson.
Reuben John takes a break from hunting on a hill above the Gerstle
River. Photo courtesy of Julie Stephens.
Hoarfrost covers these trees in a winter photo by Michael Kingston. Not
to worry: hoarfrost is still weeks and weeks away. We hope.
A "tent city" grew overnight at Delta's City Park on Monday,
August 21st. Hundreds of bicyclists camped here overnight on their way
from Fairbanks to Anchorage and back to Fairbanks. The cyclists were
riding to support research for an AIDS vaccine. After Delta, they rode
to Isabel Pass and overnighted at the foot of Gulkana Glacier near Summit
Lake. Photo by Sheryl Mills.
The Alaska Range in the early morning. Photo courtesy of Donna
Gardino.
After
days of nothing but rain, the sun finally pokes it's head out as it descends
into the sky line. Photo by Delta News Web
Cleansing Stream
An Intensive Teaching on Spiritual
Warfare
Delta Christian Center is sponsoring an intensive teaching
on spiritual warfare called "Cleansing Stream". This four-month
long teaching is widely acclaimed among Christians as men and women have
been delivered by the power of God from the strongholds that have bound
them. The teaching will begin after moose season September, 2000.
The teaching process consists of four monthly meetings,
self-paced home study using a workbook and audiotapes, and a weekend retreat
in Fairbanks at the end of the session. The workbook and audiotapes cost
$78.00 for one person and $110.00 for a couple needing two workbooks. The
retreat in Fairbanks is an additional cost.
While salvation redeems us in the eyes of God, strongholds
of sin remain in us. Cleansing Stream is designed to help us discover those
strongholds. When the strongholds are uncovered, and sin repented of, Christ
can clean these areas from our lives.
If you are interested please call for more information. We
need to hear from you by August 15, 2000 because the materials need to be
ordered. Contact Linda Johnson at 895-4918 or Belita Taylor at
895-5279.
Delta Christian Center -- August 07, 2000
A beautiful field of fireweed, a site many of us won't see again until next
year. Photo courtesy of Steve DuBois.
After
days of nothing but rain, the sun finally pokes it's head out as it descends
into the sky line. Photo by Delta News Web
