Alaska Man Monday - Muskoxen, Dandelions and Accents

The birches and ash trees are leafing out, and most of our summer birds are back; only yesterday, a Yellow-Rumped Warbler was singing in the trees behind the office. Summer’s coming, and we have some great fishing outings planned, including a jaunt out of Homer for king salmon and halibut. But as for this week:

Are you an Alaska Mom? On Mother’s Day, you can get a free visit to the Muskox Farm.

Ever since the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer opened its doors in 1986, it’s offered moms free admission on Mother’s Day, and this year is no exception.
On Sunday, May 11, moms get in free, and donations are accepted from everyone else. The best part? It’s a chance to see new musk ox mothers and their babies up close.
So far this year, the farm has welcomed three calves, all from first-time moms. In keeping with its tradition of using themes for naming, Education Director Dani Biersteker said staff chose weasel family names this year. The calves are Marten, Otter, and Fisher. Biersteker said more calves may be on the way, but with muskoxen, it can be difficult to tell.
“We have three that are still on watch till the beginning of June, so there’s always a chance for another one,” she said. “But we joke that the most scientific way to know if a musk ox is pregnant is if they have a calf.”
Biersteker said the Mother’s Day tradition has brought families to the farm year after year and given people a chance to watch calves grow up since the animals stay at the farm for life.

Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets. Muskoxen (it's one word) are amazing animals, and we are lucky to be able to see them, even captive ones, when we want. They are a remnant of the last Ice Age, and that’s just plain neat. In northern Alaska, we have the real deal - wild herds, but thanks to the folks in Palmer, you don't have to go north of the Arctic Circle to see these magnificent animals.

And here’s another Mother’s Day thing: Dandelions. My wife keeps a considerable patch of dandelions for her annual batch of wonderful dandelion wine, but it turns out that there are a lot of other uses for the little weeds.

This Mother’s Day, treat Mom to delightful foraged dandelions. With dandelions blooming throughout Alaska, there is a perfect opportunity to gather sustainable greens and flowers that will add a special touch to your Mother’s Day table. Below, you’ll find some recipe suggestions for dandelion iced tea, a salad with citrus vinaigrette, sunny dandelion eggs, and dandelion baked halibut.
Mother’s Day celebrates the unconditional love and nurturing spirit of moms. Reflecting on moments spent gathering dandelions for your mother serves as a beautiful way to honor her. Dishes inspired by dandelions can showcase vibrant greens and blossoms, providing a meaningful way to pay tribute to her with simple creations that remind us of the joys that nature offers.

Dandelions aren’t native to North America and are usually treated as weeds:

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), also known as the lion’s tooth flower, originated in Eurasia and have evolved over millions of years to survive in diverse climates and soils. Since ancient times, they have been used as a nutritional source, with references to dandelion salads, teas, and wine found in Roman and Chinese texts dating back to around 900 CE. It is believed that the 17th-century European settlers purposely transported the dandelion to North America. Its presence in the new world is noted as occurring around the time of the Mayflower, according to an article published by the National Library of Medicine.

So they’ve been here for a while, and plenty of folks are accustomed to them; my grandmother used to use the leaves in salads in addition to (also) brewing an annual batch of dandelion wine. Good stuff.

Alaska Man score: Another 5. Happy (belated) Mother’s Day to all Moms, in Alaska and everywhere else!

Now then: Ever wonder about those fun regional accents people like to talk about? Watch:

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