[Zhurh]

I had some of those old foxfire books before moving to Alaska and we've been here 20 years. I came from rural Pennsylvania and learned how to find ginseng & goldenseal from a few old timers. They were too old to drive but did they ever like to walk in the woods with me, for miles too; up the sides of small mnts. One guy was an old farmer, everybody in his family was too busy with the farm to spend time with their dad & grandfather; so I got the pleasure. I remember we looked several times about a mile back in the woods for this old homestead. Two old bachelors had lived there before WWI and they grew ginseng. They died, homestead fell down and woods took over. Old Irwin and me never found that overgrown place, but he was sure it was still there somewheres and he was sure we'd find all kinds of old ginseng if we did find it. Two years later, I found it on my own, just old foundation stones & well and all the ginseng that had went wild. I went and got Irwin and he said he couldn't walk well enough until I told him that I found the homestead, ha ha. He jumped right up, ha ha. We spent a day in there digging roots, found roots that had 50 year old neck rings, and we made tea all winter with them. Those oldtimers really do have stories to tell if we'd only pay attention.

Here in Alaska, traditional knowledge is how most people survive. It is a valued part of the lifestyle out here in the rural parts. Sure is nice to be able to live off the land to some extent. I put a fish net in for salmon, but have ate so much salmon, I've lost the taste for the stuff, kinda like eating too much brocculli. Last fall, our family got 3 moose and a bunch of caribou which provided most of our meat. Trouble is now I like chicken & shrimp more than anything. Too expense to transport scratch & wife doesn't want to move down along the coast. I was once offered a teaching job at Yakutat and wife said no way. You wouldn't believe the seafood free for the taking there. Then I'd probably lose my taste for shrimp too, ha ha.