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August 24, 2013 Saturday
Day 48
Farmers Market
First stop - Honey Bakery tent for a slice of Bavarian blueberry pie and a slice of chocolate pie, plus some garlic rolls that smell divine - all for later. Next we strolled through all the booths getting a nice supply of healthy fresh Alaskan grown vegetables - to counteract the sweets we purchased at the Bakery tent. There was a guy roasting all types of peppers - banana, serrano, poblano and more, in a big rolling bin that he turned over a fire to roast the peppers. Bought some of those to make salsa.
It was a beautiful cool morning, cloudy at first, but the sun was out and shining by 11am. The rest of the day was blue skies, white puffy clouds and sunshine, high 50s.
Sandhill Crane Festival
Next stop- Creamer's Field Wildlife Refuge and Nature Trails for the Sandhill Crane Festival. Creamer's Field was a dairy farm from the early 1900s until it closed in 1966. The fields attract large numbers of migratory birds. When the dairy farm went up for sale, the people of Fairbanks raised the funds to make this land (2,000 acres) a wildlife refuge. This is one of the best attractions in Fairbanks. There are miles of trails through boreal forests and in the open meadows.
We were so fortunate that this weekend they were celebrating the Sandhill Crane Festival, here at Creamer's Field in the Tanana Valley. Hundreds of sandhill cranes migrate from as far north as Siberia to Creamer's Field in mid to late August on their way to their winter homes in Texas, New Mexico and Northern Mexico.
At the festival we had brunch under a tent, while listening to wonderful music (guitar and violin) played by two talented and joyful women. We toured the Farmhouse Visitor Center, learning about the dairy's history. Then we hiked on some of the trails (my knee is getting better, thankfully).
The first trail leading from the Farmhouse is called the Farmroad Trail. Poems by local writers are posted along this trail. What a wonderful experience, walking in the meadow, under sunny, cool skies, stopping along the way to read poetry reflecting the serene beauty of nature. My kind of hike. We continued for a couple of miles into the forest and through wetlands.
University of Alaska
Museum of the North
Leaving the festival, we headed for the University of Alaska Museum of the North which has extensive exhibits of art, gold and minerals, animals and insects found throughout the state. We saw a 36,000 year-old mummified steppe bison as well as a giant grizzly standing over 9 feet tall. We watch 2 different films, one about winter in Alaska, one about the aurora borealis. The museum itself is stunning to look at, it resembles a glacier. Great museum!
Georgeson Botanical Garden
We stopped by the University's
Botanical Garden; they were closed but we were able to see some of their beautiful flowers.
LARS
Next we drove out to the Robert E. White Large Animal Research Station (LARS) to see musk oxen, caribou and reindeer grazing in the fields.
Finishing our tour of the University and surrounding areas, we drove back to downtown, stopping in at the Alaska House, an art gallery in a historic log cabin. We bought some cards, and while paying, we saw a flyer for Sarah Peacock, singer/songwriter, who was playing at Big Daddy's tonight at 7:00pm. It was nearly 7, so we asked the girls at the Alaska House if they knew anything about it. They heartily recommended we go hear Sarah, she was a friend of theirs and they said she was really talented. Naturally we headed to Big Daddy's for some delicious bar-b-q (brisket tips, yum!) and lovely music performed by Sarah Peacock. Sarah, it turns out is from Atlanta and is doing a 2 month tour in Alaska. We enjoyed talking with her during one of her breaks.
Culturally enriched after our active day and stuffed from our dinner, we waddled off to camp and to bed. We set our alarm for 2:00am to get out and hopefully see the Northern Lights. The aurora forecast was promising for the early morning hours.
Wildlife Sightings
Sandhill Cranes
Musk oxen
Caribou
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