Abundance time in Palmer

This is the apex, the time of year where Alaska just gives and gives. It’s the fish. And the berries. And the produce. And the sunshine. And the rain. And the flowers. And the warm temperatures. We have overflow of everything. The loud and demanding song of the outdoors determines what we will do and we rejoice in all this summer music. August is our 8th month and the most generous of all.

Zucchini-ed in Palmer—Now is the time to “zucchini” your neighbor. Leave some of that wonderful produce on their porch. Share some with non-gardeners. Give away the extra flowers and the vegetables. Poke a few i someone’s back seat! Munch on a carrot. Chomp down on a yellow beet. Walk around with raw veggies to offer.

School Starts—It begins this week and it starts slow, at the end of the week, to allow all to move into the school schedule after a long and lovely summer vacation. There is excitement and foreboding mixed up and always a bittersweet feeling of loss of summer. Football is on now in part to get the engines rolling for school sports and school activities. Let’s be kind to teachers this year. And lets be gently strong with our children too.

Absolute Proof—If you had thoughts of a lasting summer, please dispel that idea immediately. You have only to go into a big store where all the winter shovels are lined up, ready to go. The swimmy pools are half price along with all the summer deck furniture. Halloween candy is out along with Turkey decorations. The summer season is essentially gone. Face it and prepare for fall.

Berry Brain—Berry brain has consumed many. Once a picker, always a picker and Palmer berry pickers can’t stop. It’s nearly an obsession. But there still is that remarkable and ethical “berry code.” Always leave the lowest ones for the children. Always share your bounty. Never, ever pick all the berries. Let the elders get the easiest ones. Always lick your fingers.

Favorite spots are recognizable but are often referred to as “secret spots.” Hatcher Pass and Sheep Mountain are the top elusive destinations.

The first berries are in…Haskaps. This is an interesting berry that looks like a blue kidney bean and tastes like a raspberry grape without the seed. This berry bush is grown domestically for the fruit. The list of wild berries is long. Cloud berries, Golden Raspberries, Salmonberries, teeny tiny moss-berries, unripe sour bog cranberries, lingonberries, big blueberries, red currants, watermelon berries, and black currants. The berries are made into jellies and jams and scones and pie. Some are just frozen in wait for the cold times. Watermelon berries. Raspberries. Strawberries. It’s important to know what you’re picking. Consider buying a berry book as the most informative guide; Berry books are available at Fireside Book Store on Main Street. There are also three good apps—plantsnap, inaturalist and picturethis. Never, never eat berries you don’t know. And be grateful that real food is a generous part of our landscape.

Hello Stars in Palmer—About midnight you can now see some stars in the southern sky. I missed them and I am actually happy to welcome them back onto the Alaska night-sky theater. Say hello and welcome back! And try to catch some of those Northern Lights which were darting about in the night skies this past week!

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. She is also the creator of the annual Palmer Community Calendar. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222.