Falling into Winter

9/30/2022

Summer, winter, and fall - September had it all! --Archangel Trail in Hatcher Pass

September has shown us three seasons in one month. The first days closed out the final days of summer with the last of the wildflowers blooming, fireweed going to seed, and loons heading back south. Just like last month, it was wet. Chilly rainy days took up most of the month while the birch trees turned their famous shade of golden yellow. Wild berries began to ripen in the tundra which I took full advantage of. We went up to Hatcher Pass twice this month hiking and berry picking. The fallscape in the mountains is incredibly peaceful.

Mid-September we went up as a family for a hike and was abruptly greeted with snow. Three days later, the pass officially closed early for the season. As we near the end of the month, the termination dust (snow line on the mountains) creeps lower and lower. One early morning we saw 32 degrees! Willow, about an hour or so north of us, had a light dusting of snow which quickly melted. We are prepared for all this rain to turn into snow any day now.

September 10: Small aircraft flying over Hatcher Pass after the first snow.

This month we cleaned out the gardens and greenhouse #2. We dug up the last of the onions and are letting them dry out a bit. The last of the jalapeno plants have been pulled too. Pete pickled a few jars of jalapenos. Personally, I’m not a fan of spicy foods so he will enjoy adding heat to some of his winter meals. In the warmer greenhouse #1 we have my herbs growing beautifully. Just one small pot each of thyme, sage, oregano, and chives. Oddly enough, grocery stores in our area have been sold out of thyme the last month or two so it’s convenient to head out to the greenhouse. The pumpkins unfortunately were planted too late in the season and didn’t get too much bigger than three leaves. Next year we will be sure to start the pumpkins earlier!

This wild rose usually blooms in June, but I found this one blooming at the beginning of September! The fireweed behind it has all turned color and gone to seed.

This month I also cleaned out their coop and laid down a fresh even layer of straw. Every month during winter I will continue to add a thick layer of straw which is called the deep litter method. For next winter, we are looking into using pine shavings instead. The main benefit of pine shavings versus straw is the moisture factor. Pine shavings absorb and release moisture in a healthier way for the chickens than straw does.

With the seasons changing, so do the chickens. Our 5 hens have slowed down their egg production, averaging about 1-2 eggs a day total. This is normal which gives the hens a bit of a break—producing eggs on a daily basis can be hard on a hen’s body if continued year-round. The chickens will eat and drink less in the winter because like most cold-weather animals they conserve energy. The wildcard freebee rooster (we think he’s a rooster) has grown larger than his fellow roommates. I’m sure he will fare his first Alaskan winter just fine. We still have yet to figure out what type of chicken he is….

We successfully grew mushrooms! Lion's Mane mushrooms growing on birch sawdust and coffee grounds.

The Bacon Brothers continue to grow. They actually escaped out of their electrical enclosure one night. Pete found them rooting around in the adjacent fenced in field. All he had to do was jiggle their food bowl and they came running back to the sound of their dinner bell! The escape artists had rooted so deep that they dug up a small fence post which conveniently laid a section of the rope fence down for them to walk over. The fence was still electrically charged so their hooves may have been zapped as they walked right over the fence line. Before ending up in the field, they munched on our pumpkin sprouts. Overall, the damages weren’t bad and everyone was safe. They continue to eat LOTS of feed, grass, garden scraps, and our leftover produce. So much so that we have adjusted our plans to harvest the pigs in October rather than December. The pigs have put on a healthy weight and are a good size, estimating around 200lbs right now. We will process the pigs ourselves in the new shop. I can’t wait to enjoy the fresh pork this winter! Which reminds me, I’ll need to track down another freezer since our other one is full of salmon and chicken…..

Enjoying some fresh greens for dinner.

Speaking of the new shop, Pete’s mom and brother flew up to help with finishing the construction of the shop. It was great to have a hand getting the building dried in and also some help with the other winter-prep. They both graciously lent their vacation time to us in June when the larger group of family & friends came up for the first annual Alaska Week. It’s always so nice to spend time with family. Surprisingly, the rainy weather lifted briefly while Pete and his brother worked outside and got the steel roof put on. In October we will start by installing electrical and the interior walls. Running water lines is a goal of ours too, but if the ground freezes too quickly, it’ll have to wait until May. Fingers crossed! It’s so exciting to see this shop come together!

Framed, Tyveked, start of the wainscoting.

Vent install.

Just about dried in!

Wild North Design has slowed down significantly on in-person shows/pop-ups, but I continue to keep busy with custom orders and filling inventory. I have on the schedule a weekend craft fair at JBER army/air force base in October, a Holiday Bazaar in November at Colony High School, and an independent pop-up at JBER in December. The new shop has me itching to start woodworking in my new environment!

Thank you for reading! Happy Fall!

Rez loves a good fall photoshoot.

First wall going up!

Loaded up at the hardware store with insulation and sheetrock for the shop.

Hatcher Pass from up high: the road that snakes up the left is the pass. The iconic red cabins are in the middle of the photo. Independence Mine is peaking around the edge on the right.