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Show J 7 AIS director Dr. Dale Tingey test experimental patch of wheat Ediioos &4ym In a recent trip to Alaska. Dr. Dale Tingey witnessed Eskimos and natives in various remote villages in northern Alaska were preparing to harvest bounteous crops of fresh vegetables. Dr. Tingey visited 10 sites where family garden plots were in full bloom. Tony Schuerch, program coordinator for the Alaskan family program, indicated his desire to start the project about four years ago after President Spencer W. Kimball in General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints admonished that all Latter-day Saints and non-member families should have a family garden. Mr. Schuerch then contacted American Indian Services and requested assistance for roto-tillers, roto-tillers, seeds, fertilizer and wire to prevent rabbits and other rodents from destroying the crops that would be raised. While there were the local skeptics and educated experts that said gardens would not grow productively in! cold climates-especially climates-especially above the Arctic Circle, Tony set out to prove them wrong. Within two years Mr. Schuerch has managed to motivate several native village leaders and families to take a chance and plant a garden. - The following report is by Tony Schuerch on the progress u " '"' ' f .V C r "A j , r i - I I ; ' V f Banking Assistant Branch Manager Major Energy Producing Area Price, Utah Office needs individual with 2-5 years experience in commercial com-mercial and installment lending. Branch Operations experience is also, helpful. Salary negotiable-commensurate negotiable-commensurate with experience. Send resume's to: Director of Personnel Commercial Security Bank 50 South Main St. Suite 1 900 Salt Lake City, Utah 84144 An Equal Opportunity Employer 'i - (top left photo) looks at Eskimo and oats with Tony Schuerch and Young University's American Indian Services about 800 Alaskan native families of rural western Alaska are raising beautiful vegetable gardens this summer. In 35 villages from Noatak in northwest Arctic Alaska to Naknek in southwest Alaska, Eskimo people have discovered gardening. This is the fourth season of the Brigham Young University gardening project. When we started this thing, most people either laughed or - 4 ' V f unidentified man. Eskimos (in other photos) enjoy raising vegetables in garden above the Arctic Circle in Alaska. feotleon ridiculed the idea. The only ones who really believed in the idea were a few village Eskimos like myself who didn't know better. We went ahead on just faith and help from private donors. The idea shouldn't have succeeded, according to the experts. Scientists at the University of Alaska had done research and promotion of agriculture for years, but had not included northwest Alaska. They just didn't think it was worth the bother. n r Oj A LJU The Sweet Sound of Jingle Bells and Savings of Cash Drive a Little, Save Alot, That's the Story of This Plot Old Time Jewelry Store In Business For Over 30 Years Everything You Expect From a Fine Jewelry Store Work Done At Reasonable Prices, On The Premises We Check And Clean Your Diamonds FREE Of Charge Don't Lose Your Diamonds - Very Expensive To Replace (v L ! .-. V7 U 1 11 JN f : j. y i " . i v. . ' , . i m -( h r- i . . ,7- " "':.;-. J'V - - 'r- r i J JbLU ws f-j., vr- urn .. . .... " ... V . v. 4-.- 1 !- s y row Some of the reasons given were that the soil was too acid, the season too short and cold, and that the Eskimos-being traditionally hunters and fishermen-would not accept the concept of agriculture. Eskimos traditionally travel many miles to gather food. The idea of picking it right in their own backyard just delights them. As for the soil, it proved to be less acid than the soil of the famous Matanuska valley. Our successful crops have r3 in r Get Acquainted coupon Bring This In For 10 Off Any Purchase Good Through Dec. 13 Clip Coupon eads Jewelry 11 West American Fork, Utah 756-3281 Trade With A Small Jeweler Who Appreciates Your Business Orem-Geneva Times- been turnips, radishes, lettuce, spinach, enrage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, carrots and onions as the most popular vegetables. Some, like cabbage, have to be started indoors to lengthen the growing season, which is about 90 days. Besides making believers out of local skeptics, we have helped change the outlook among our people. Now they are thinking in terms of self-help and economic development. Our villagers are discovering there is more to life than drawing welfare and using drugs and alcohol. Two significant development projects are under way now as a result of the gardening projects. In the village of Ambler, traditional subsistence hunter Nelson Grest is now working as an operator-mechanic-farmer clearing land for his own farm. The first Eskimo farmer in the Arctic, we call him. Test plantings plan-tings of grains and potatoes on this newly-cleared land are producing beyond expectation, and all indications are that grains and potatoes will ripen in the Kobuk Valley north of the Arctic Circle. The other project is near the village of Selawik. Located in a swampland, residents last summer began a search for potential farmland near their village. They selected a spot 15 miles away, at the base of a small mountain range. The abundance of timber, gravel and good agricultural land ultimately led Maincv) Nln ..-...sa If ft if. .. - - tt);. . ! ij fcj ; -December 4, 1080 to a decision to build a new town on the site. Vegetables produced in high northern latitudes are better tasting and of higher quality. Scientists told us that the long hours of daylight produce more rapid growth and a higher content of natural sugar. Also, pesticides are not needed in most cases. Potatoes, for example. have no natural enemies up here; no insects and no diseases. Fresh vegetables are quite a treat for the Eskimo people, since the price for imported products is almost prohibitiveif they are available at all. Gardening and farming is expected to have a strong positive impact on dietary problems. Our people already have wild game and fish. As we add agriculture to our traditions, we can be among the best-fed people in the world, even if the day ever comes that we can no longer get imported food.. . Another benefit of gardening is the social rewards. Gardening activity seems to draw families together in a common activity. With the enormous cultural gap. developing between native children and their parents, this is especially important. Looking back on the past four years, I feel a great deal of satisfaction. But I can't take the credit. This whole effort began because the Prophet said we should raise gardens. I've learned that it pays to listen to him, even when we don't know all the reasons why. When we do what he suggests, sug-gests, everyone benefits." C9 O 9 1 3s 1 3SI 3 1 1 Get Yourself Or Your Loved One A Quartz Watch We Have Digitals, Pulsar - Seiko -Bulova - Accutron And Our Own Fine Brand Read's Valiant 25 i a V V'- t f t l i . i 1 v II |