Summer is in full swing, and thoughts of Alaskans have turned to fishing. We don’t have any big ocean-fishing outings planned this year, but the salmon and trout fishing right around here is pretty good, and fish is good for you. We’re not really big on catch and release, other than where there is a legal restriction. We fish for the freezer, and we generally have a lot of fish in there.
On the school front: A Matanuska-Susitna Borough elementary school just closed. But there’s a silver lining: Free books for Mat-Su youngsters.
Hundreds of books removed from one of Mat-Su’s permanently shuttered schools are on their way to local children through a summerlong literacy project in Palmer instead of being sent to the discard pile.
About 100 boxes of books removed from the now-closed Meadow Lakes Elementary School and left behind by school families, teachers, and the district’s other librarians were given to Bright Lights Book Project volunteers earlier this month, said district spokesman John Notestine. They were immediately integrated into the organization’s new Summer in the Parks effort, Bright Lights officials said.
The effort is part of a partnership between Bright Lights and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District that began last year and keeps books out of the shredder and in the community after they are no longer needed in schools, Notestine said.
There’s nothing better for a young person’s mind, or indeed anyone’s mind, than reading. Nothing. So, a repurposing like this could yield some great benefits for young, growing Mat-Su minds. And, in a small community, nothing much goes to waste.
I’d like to also make some suggestions for the borough high schools. How about having the kids read the Constitution and the Federalist Papers? Maybe assign Aristotle and Marcus Aurelius? Reading those as a young man influenced me greatly, including in some ways that didn’t become apparent until I was much older.
Alaska Man score: 5 repurposed books.
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Here’s another great thing about our home in the Mat-Su: it’s summer, and the farmer’s markets are opening up with lots of fresh local Alaska produce.
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is Alaska’s top spot for farm-fresh summer vegetables.
With summer in full swing, locals can take advantage of the bounty, too. But where can residents go to find Alaska-grown produce?
Starting now, residents can find Mat-Su produce carried in Fred Meyer, Carrs and Three Bears Alaska locations throughout the valley, local farm bureau officials announced this week.
But what about farm stands?
To answer that question, the Mat-Su Sentinel compiled a list of Mat-Su farm stands and farmers markets that feature locally grown produce. This list includes only stands or locations with consistent hours and dates throughout the summer. Visit the listed websites to double-check that the location you want to visit is open before you head out.
There’s a lot of trading going on, too. Here on our Susitna Valley homestead, the one crop we have in abundance is raspberries. Other folks locally grow not only veggies but also honey. There’s a fair amount of bartering, and my wife’s dandelion and raspberry wines are pretty popular; note that she cannot legally sell them, but an informal trade among friends? That’s perfectly OK, especially since we aren’t in a dry jurisdiction.
Alaska Man score: 5 home-made raspberry scones.
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Now, let’s look at some unusual self-defense implements.
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