PALMER BUZZ: Aug. 31, 2017

Potato Palace treats food staff to massages

After working very hard in prep for the Palmer fair and through the fair, Owner Marion Romano gives her food workers massages from the Alaska Massage Clinic, onsite. She does this for their comfort and to ease those aching fair muscles. This happens on the weekends, during the busiest times, and it is a wonderful thing for an employer to do. So go buy some potato goodness from Potato Palace and commend her caring operation.

Hoskins Building

It’s the little things that count sometimes. And this applies to the State Fair, as well. Any afternoon you can wander into the Hoskins Building and learn about painting rocks, recipes, dietary guidelines, or paper folding.

On Monday the Mat-Su Council for Family and Community Education presented House Remedies and Household Tips — which included how to preserve avocados with chunks of onion, how to separate the yolk from the egg white, useful eggshells, ripening stale cereal, softening ice cream, dryer sheet magic, and mayonnaise on the furniture tips. Presenter Doris Coffin said simply, “There is just so much to know!”

State Fair Jingle, heard being sung by Robin Hopper

Up here in Alaska

I’ve been everywhere

I’ve been at the fair, man

Breathe that mountain air

Pure protein at the State Fair

These are the last few days to buy a ticket for the Alaska Farmland Trust Raffle — and win 10 pounds of elk, bison and musk ox from Pitchfork Ranch in Palmer. This is called an exotic meat raffle. It is an exciting package and benefits the Alaska Farmland Trust. Their booth is right next to the livestock barn in the tiny red barn.

And while you’re waiting for the winning ticket, indulge in these straight up protein offerings available at this year’s fair:

Smoked set-net Kasilof salmon from Monica Zappa’s, Iditarod team, which is running the Posh House this year.—Green TrailPork chop on a stick from Porky’s—Red TrailProtein bowl from Tres Amigos—Purple TrailAlmonds, pecans, cashews and peanuts from Yukon Concessions—Purple TrailBBQ Texas beef, chicken and ribs at the Log Cabin 3 on the Green Trail

This is our event

The Alaska State Fair is our answer to Navy Pier, Coney Island, Venice Beach, Pike’s Market, Fisherman’s Wharf, Redrock, and most certainly to California’s Burning Man in the Deep Playa! Enjoy the people, the novelty and the experience because it will be a full year before its return.

Dog Days of Summer are here

There really are other things happening in Palmer besides the fair. They are significant in their own way. Finish up those summer chores. Put the garden to bed. There are berries to pick, mushrooms to forage and wood to chop.

There are also graves to be dug. Graves??? Yes graves. If you have an elderly animal, who may not make it through the winter, this is the time to dig the grave, before the ground freezes. It is a serious task to do for that loyal four legged friend.

Other happenings besides the Fair

Out and about are a variety of Palmer activities as well. The Certificate of Need meeting is on Thursday. Backyard Composting Class is on Friday. Football game is on Friday. Midnight Sun Yoga Center is celebrating it’s five year anniversary on Friday, Sept. 1. And finally there are the very last races at the Raceway Park in the Butte. Neighbors can resume outside Sunday picnics soon, now that the noise is over.