Gardening in Alaska

When we are not out climbing new peaks in Alaska, we are happily living with my brother- and sister-in-law, Jerome and Janis at their home on a hillside outside Anchorage. They have welcomed us to share there homestead here, with chickens, gardens and greenhouses, along with a pizza oven where they first started to bake bread.

​When we arrived here in early May, it was still too chilly to plant seedlings in the ground but the two greenhouses provided a perfect environment.  The tomato plants that Jerome grew from seed are now heavy with fruit.

​It has been chilly and overcast this summer and it seemed like it took a long time for seeds to take root. By early July, the lettuce, carrots, potatoes, kale, beans, radishes and peas were thriving.

​We eat salads daily, trying to keep up with the produce in the garden beds.

​The kale and carrots came from the garden and the artful Romanesco broccoli was grown in Alaska, too (but not by us).

​The garden is also home to three beehives and thousands and thousands of buzzing bees. Janis and Jerome recently opened the hives to pull out the honeycombs within.

Dinnertime can be serious, as we sample new creations prepared by Jerome, whose baking skills led him and Janis to open the Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop. As you can see, Jerome and Janis take pies and cakes very seriously.

​ But largely, we have food to gather family at the table and enjoy the richness of an Alaskan summer day