Mid-September and we’re all busy

Harvesting, gathering, building, moving, and homework are at the top of our seasonal list. We know, within a month, our window of opportunity will close slightly when the hard pelleting rain on the metal roof turns soft into quiet snowflakes. We can see the snow to the shoulders of the big peaks surrounding Palmer. We can see the light dustings on Lazy Mountain. We look forward to the end of this rainy, monsoon season filled with slugs and muds. When the first frost happens and the ground finally freezes, then we can actually navigate better.

Here is the Annual “Palmer Buzz Pre Winter Chore List” Getting ready for winter is an Alaskan chore—which often starts in the spring or summer. But for many of us, we’re having way too much fun to focus seriously on the necessary preparations. The following list has been authentically crowd-sourced and revised and edited over the years. It’s a bit scary because of its’ length. So you might want to read it in full and then just highlight your personal needs. Good Luck!

• Do the last mow.

• Find flash lights and check their functionality.

• Find snow shovels. Find car windshield scrapers. Find snow tires.

• Remove accessories from spigots.

• Button up the greenhouse. Throw leaves and mulch on the tossed garden

• Drain hoses on sunny day, roll, and store on coat hangers.

• Pick up tools you’ve left all over the yard.

• Put up lawn furniture, ornaments, horseshoe stakes, and croquet pieces.

• Turn the compost.

• Cut and stack wood.

• Hang and Fill feeders.

• Empty planters.

• Dig tubers and store potatoes properly.

• Scatter poppy seed. Collect seed pods. Plant bulbs.

• Find your ice grips or cleats.

• Prepare for ice with bags of sand or kitty litter.

• Have your furnace checked along with your filters. Do annual maintenance.

• Inspect fire extinguishers and detectors.

• Clean gutters. Clean outside of windows.

• Check the seals around doors and garage doors.

• Bring out your family’s winter wear.

• Have stovepipes and chimneys cleaned

• Check fire alarms and fire extinguishers

• Pick last berries, cherries and apples

• Get your car ready with emergency gear and extra clothing

• Unload shed, remove snow tires, refill shed.

• Dream. Buy Tickets. Pack.

• Pre-dig pet graves, just in case.

• Stock up your larder and book shelves.

• Use your PFD and spend/donate locally.

• Buy yarn. Or whatever hobby items help you through the winter.

• Buy TP, batteries, lantern oil, candles, wicks and globes

• Tie down trampolines, patio umbrellas and items

• Change your car knob to slippy setting.

• Winterize boats or motorhomes.

• Put away fans and dig out the extra blankets.

• Finish all the summer projects you started.

• Put up all those little holiday lights before it gets too cold and early dark.

Garlic Class this week in Palmer—This Wednesday at 6pm at the Annex at 247 S. Alaska Street is where the Garlic Group gathers. It is a public event by Seeds and Soil Farm and you need to register in advance. You can do the registration on facebook or at seedsandsoilorganics.com.

Thursday Library Workshop—This week, at 4pm, you can talk about the new possible concepts for the Palmer Public Library. There will be displays and discussions and you can offer your thoughts for the reconstruction. This will happen at the Palmer Train Depot.

Big Saturday in Palmer—This Saturday is the Rebarchek Harvest Day at the Rebarchek farm beside the Alaska State Fair Ground. You can dig potatoes, tour the farmhouse and barn, learn about agriculture, and see demonstrations. Register at the State Fair website in advance and find your trowel, shovel or spade for an excellent potato digging event. Nervis Rex is playing at the Palmer Ale House on Saturday evening. They are definitely a favorite band and the summer season of music is coming to an end. It could be a wonderful way to end the season.

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