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| 10 year old June took this photo of me at Tangles-we had so much fun camping!
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This will be a business oriented blog pertaining to items that affect operations of a game ranch and like businesses around the state, nation and world. We will also include some personal photographs of our weekly duties and lifestyle in our business.
A little more personal blog is done by me, the matriarch, Ruby. Check it out if you so choose: www.alaskaicequeen.blogspot.com It's called " Tundra Talk"....nothing grand, just stuff about living in Alaska and the daily encounters, viewings and occurances. I do like to add a few photos though.
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January 4, 2009 |
| Alaska Farmers Face Fertilizer Shortage |
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Bison cow wants photographer to keep his distance.
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FAIRBANKS — Alaska agricultural producers are facing tremendous increases in the cost of fertilizer, and a team of University of Alaska Fairbanks ag experts is trying to find ways to help.
Fertilizer costs have increased by up to 400 percent recently, driving some producers to the brink, said Milan Shipka, associate director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.
“It’s bad,” he said of the situation, adding that the huge increases, along with higher fuel and electric bills, could drive some producers to close up shop. “That’s a real possibility.”
Ruby and Scott Hollembaek raise hay to feed herds of elk and bison at their Alaska Interior Game Ranch near Delta Junction. Without fertilizer, hay won’t grow well enough to justify the work and expense that goes into cutting, baling and wrapping the feed, Scott Hollembaek said............... http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/jan/04/agrium-shutdown-might-have-harsh-consequences-inte/
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January 4, 2009 |
| It Doesn't Pay to Brag |
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081216131014.htm
Quiet Bison Sire More Calves Than Louder Rivals
ScienceDaily (Dec. 26, 2008) — During bison mating season, the quietest bulls score the most mates and sire the most offspring while studs with the loudest bellows see the least action, according to a surprising new study by researchers at University of California, Davis, and Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. The researchers also found that the volume of a bull’s bellow was not related to its weight or age.
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December 29, 2008 |
| Forest Service oks bison fence near Yellowstone |
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Shaggy, Jr. off our Alaska Interior Game Ranch
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Forest Service OKs bison fence near Yellowstone
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service has given Montana wildlife officials permission to construct a four-foot high, seven-mile long electric fence near Gardiner to steer bison that migrate out of Yellowstone National Park to acceptable grazing land.
The fencing is required as part of a lease agreement with the Royal Teton Ranch, which enables a limited number of bison to traverse a corridor so they may graze on public land north of the park.
Gardiner District Ranger Ken Britton says forest rangers and scientists with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks will monitor how bison and other wildlife navigate the corridor, and make any necessary adjustments.
The Royal Teton Ranch deal is part of a larger effort to protect livestock from brucellosis, a disease carried by bison that causes cattle to abort; while also giving bison more room to roam.
The Associated Press
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December 29, 2008 |
| When its 50 below the work continues |
Well, if you have to go "outside" , you dress for it and if you have to travel - you make sure your vehicle has a plug in, that's whats happening right now with temperatures dropping below 50 below. The animals are still roaming in their fur coats and eating hay & protein blocks. No change there. We do increase the feed during the cold period. We don't grain though, when we split the calves up in the middle of winter (Jan/Feb?) we'll use some grain on them for about 8 weeks to help them through the transition period.
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December 28, 2008 |
| A Classroom of Farmers? |
2008 Harvest Wrap - Up Wednesday, December 10, 2008 6:30 Delta Junction The following ag researchers with the UAF, the USDA Ag Research Service and the State of Alaska Divison of Ag presented to discuss current and future research efforts. Dennis Fielding - USDA - Ag Research Service - Grasshoppers Steve Seefeldt - USDA - Ag Research Service - Wet Blade Steve Sparrow -UAF SNRAS & AFES - Bio Fuel Crops (unavailable) Mingchu Zhang - UAF SNRAS & AFES - Canola Bob VanVeldhuisen - UAF SNRAS & AFES - New Hulless Barley "Sunshine" This gather is for producers to give constructive comments to the researchers on what they would like to see benefit the industry. Phil Kaspari - Ag Extension Agent - Facilitator
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November 26, 2008 |
| An American Hero |
We just met Aaron Owen, a soldier who was injured in the war and was the recipient of the Alaska Safari Club International (SCI) Essay Contest Winner this year (February 2008) and received a bison hunt off our game ranch. Senator Stevens was there along with other dignitaries to present this award to Owen. Owen came today and shot his 2.5 year old bison. This will fill his freezer for his wife and four children. He now lives in North Pole. Due to his injuries Owen was forced to retire after 18 years of service. Owen is a disabled vet and a proud American. His story follows.For more information about the SCI event, log on to the site below: http://www.aksafariclub.org/2008/07/24/2008-fundraiser-a-success/ Excerpts from Owen's Story: My name is Aaron Owen, I am a 34 year old happily married man of 13 years to my beautiful wife, Tara. Together we have four awesome children, two boys and two girls, whom all love to hunt and fish. We live in a cozy cabin in North Pole, with our two labs, Duke and Daisy. I was raised all around the Wyoming and Montana area with hunting and fishing as a big part of my life. I carry on the tradition in my family taking all my children on hunting and fishing trips, starting from when they first learn to walk. I teach them safety, to properly care for what we harvest, never to kill any animal that we don't intend to eat, and never take more than we can use. Having hunting in my life always gave me a better alternative to trouble and a way to keep me away from drugs, as well as giving me knowledge and respect for our natural resources. So, it is equally important to me to have hunting in our life as an enjoyable past time, great source of nourishment and most of all, a tool to stay connected to my children. A majority of my life was spent being raised by my grandparents and this inspired me to become a great man like my grandfather, Russell Webb. He was a tanker in the Battle of the Bulge who was seriously injured. It was his service to this country and his Purple Heart that inspired me to become a soldier. I am honored to have been given the chance to strive to match some of their (soldiers from that era) greatness. I grew up living and working in a small farm community of Basin, Wyoming where the remainder of our families live today. I enlisted in the Army in November of 1994 and was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to begin my training as a 12B, Combat Engineer. The title is a little misleading, as an Engineer I didn't build anything, it was my job to blow them up. I deployed on many peace-keeping missions but never truly saw combat until we declared war on terrorism after the events of September 11, 2001. I was a sergeant of second squad, second platoon, in the 1st Armored Division in Glessen, Germany, a team leader ready to lead my men into combat. I was given a group of misfits that would turn out to become one of the best fighting squads in the Division, the "Dirty Deuce". In my squad, I had a mix of men who were fighting for a country of which half were not citizens of, but wanted to be. My team leader, a great friend, was Nicaraguan, our driver from India, two of our dismounts were from Africa and my gunner was from Puerto Rico. We moved through the invasion of Iraq and our baptism by fire into the rebuilding process with no losses to my Squad. Everyday for that first year we cleared the routes of IED's, land mines and the occasional ambush. All of us from the "Dirty Deuce" squad made it home, with Purple Hearts from physical wounds that would heal. Upon the return to Germany to reunite with my family, I took my next assignment to Fort Wainwright, Alaska. It had always been a dream of mine to live, hunt and fish the great state of Alaska. I was assigned to the 562nd Engineer company of the 172nd Stryker BDE. I had six months to enjoy my family, train a new squad and go to a few schools that I had missed from the last deployment. My family did as much as we could to enjoy the wild of Alaska in a short amount of time and we had a great time! August 2005, we left Fort Wainwright for Mosul, Iraq. My mission was much the same as it had been before, sweeping the routes and removing IED's and land mines before they could be used to kill our soldiers. On November 7, 2005 nearly at the end of my route clearance for the day, my STRYKER was attached with a suicide car bomber. A large Chevy van filled with explosives and gasoline was detonated while crashing into the side of my vehicle. The blast threw my STRYKER off a 40' overpass and down into a canal. Of the eight men in the vehicle, three of us were seriously injured, one was in a coma and the rest all received minor injuries. Thus leading to my 2nd Purple Heart and what would be the end of my Military career. Over all, the most important thing is that I'm still alive and have been given the opportunity to enjoy my wife and 4 children. I still have the chance to go hunting, fishing and enjoy the great outdoors of Alaska. by SFC (Ret) Aaron Owen As we begin our festivities for Thanksgiving, remember our soldiers in the field and away from their homes and families. Remember those many soldiers who will never come home again to celebrate the holidays with their family and friends. Remember those families who miss them and whose hearts ache for their loved ones. With all of this may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving from the Hollembaek's and the Alaska Interior Game Ranch.
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November 18, 2008 |
| ADLA Meeting & AFB Meeting |
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The Northern Lights Elk Ranch near Hatcher Pass Alaska
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We had a great time meeting with fellow producers and like for the Alaska Diversified Livestock Conference. Topics were varied. For great fun we got a quick tour of the ranch with the creek beds running through it, elk standing and eating hay and the log home on the perimeter of the home place. Check out www.adlainc.blogspot.com for details. One day was spent at the Alaska Farm Bureau Meeting in Anchorage. Again, pertinent info about ranching and animal husbandry. It was nice to visit, network and plan. See akfb.fb.org for updates & info.
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November 14, 2008 |
| ADLA,Inc.& AFB Meeting |
Busy busy.
The Alaska Diversified Livestock Association, Incorporated and the Alaska Farm Bureau meetings are going on this week and weekend in Palmer and Anchorage. At the ADLA,Inc.meeting we had a great tour of the Northern Lights Elk Ranch outside of Palmer, Alaska. We drove through on an ATV vehicle and viewed the elk herd. Delbert has finished his fencing and the hard work shows. We had a lovely dinner with bear roast, Alaska potatoes and carrots, elk roast,elk chili and cornbread. Wow! What a feast! We had members Burton, Pettit, Simineo's, the Nash's, Doug Warner from the Division of Agriculture Marketing, Vicki Vanek (State Fish and Game Veterinarian), Milan Shipka (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Robin Richardson from www.globalfoodcollaborative.com, Del Ray Hobbs and Dave Thorn. Then it's off to the Alaska Farm Bureau Meeting at the Millenium in Anchorage. It's a time to gather and network.
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November 11, 2008 |
| Veteran's Day Tribute |
When America had an urgent need,
These brave ones raised a hand;
No hesitation held them back;
They were proud to take a stand.
They left their friends and family;
They gave up normal life;
To serve their country and their God,
They plowed into the strife.
They fought for freedom and for peace
On strange and foreign shores;
Some lost new friends; some lost their lives
In long and brutal wars.
Other veterans answered a call
To support the ones who fought;
Their country had requirements for
The essential skills they brought.
We salute each and every one of them,
The noble and the brave,
The ones still with us here today,
And those who rest in a grave.
So here’s to our country’s heroes;
They’re a cut above the rest;
Let’s give the honor that is due
To our country’s very best.
By Joanna Fuchs
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November 10, 2008 |
| Lions Club International |
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Lions Club Mosaic Skull Donation
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The Lions Club International Conference was held in Delta Junction this year. We met Lions from Canada and all over Alaska. Alaska Interior Game Ranch, Inc. donated this mosaic bison skull for their donation raffle to help raise funds for their local organization. We had a great dinner and meetings at the Moose Lodge.
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2009
Alaska Farmer...
2008