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Winter?? January 18th, 2016

The snowless field across from the Palmer Airport.

Palmer has been having some odd “winter” weather lately! Temperatures well into the high 40s mimic weather patterns from down south. Has anyone had to mow their lawns yet? Even though its the middle of January we have almost no snow! Unfortunately, this has been Palmer’s weather pattern for the last three years.

However, because the temperature is USUALLY below freezing, the lakes around Palmer have been frozen for a few months. Combined with the lack of snow, this has made skating excellent. Take advantage of this odd “winter” weather, grab a pair of skates, head for the nearest lake, and have some fun.

Myers Lake

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Palmer Computer Repair Shops January 15th, 2016

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Palmer has two excellent computer repair shops. If you know of any more please let me know so I can add them to the list.

Out of a Jam Solutions Phone, 907-745-2015 website.

Rent-A-Geek Alaska Phone, 907-745-5060 website

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Alaskan Hot Dogs and More September 8th, 2014

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An Impromptu Rhyme About a Hot Dog Stand:
Kurt Statz
Sells snacks
Racks and racks
Of scrumptious snacks
So if you have a snack attack
Visit Kurt’s shack
(It would be convenient if at this point, Kurt acquired a yak who was black, but alak! No yak.)

Alright, I know that is bad poetry, but good food sort of moves me to poetry. The problem is, my skill is not exactly equal to the task. Fortunately, Kurt is a MUCH better cook than I am a poet.

Kurt ready for business

This has got to be the most gourmet hot dog I have ever eaten. Firstly, my bun (fresh from North Star bakery, this is no ordinary bun here) was toasted on the griddle. Whilst the bun is toasting, the hot dog, (from Indian Valley Meats, in several varieties) cut lengthwise, is sizzling pleasantly, smelling quite heavenly. Finally, the whole thing is stacked into a sort of hot dog sandwich and crowned with fried onions and peppers. Top with condiments and drool.

The hot dog

Now the fascinating thing here is that this whole operation is run by Kurt Statz, who is 16 years old. He started his hot dog stand back when he was 14, and has been doing so well that he now has an employee of his own. Kurt saw that the market for food stands was open and capitalized. Besides hot dogs, the stand also serves grilled cheese sandwiches and frybread. Kurt tries to get his ingredients as locally as possible for all of his food.

So look for the silver hot dog stand outside Nonessentials by the four-way-stop near the train depot. Kurt will fry you up something tasty!

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Monday Farmer’s Market August 7th, 2014

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A few bread choices

As I leave work on Monday, I usually find that I have a bread deficiency. Specifically, a homemade bread deficiency. So I stop at the train depot in Palmer, where I know that many talented homemade bread makers are congregated, sharing their culinary talent with us common mortals.
The vendors at the Farmer’s Market seem kind of like superheroes. Their superpowers are things like:
Making lip balm from plants;
Recycling wine corks into keychains;
Making homemade noodles (think tortellini);
Sewing anything from aprons to potholders;
Making nectar—with hibiscus (Because regular nectar isn’t hard enough?)
Painting greeting cards;
Keeping flowers alive; (if this doesn’t seem like a superpower to you, then you have never tried to do it)
Producing good looking (and tasting) vegetables;
Making root-beer-carmel-filled chocolates;
Cooking authentic Mexican food;
And of course, the list goes on.

Vendors

Everyone smiles and chats with you about their merchandise. Many of the vendors work their booth as a family, so often there are kids helping out, learning about entrepreneurship and customer service from their parents. Every week it seems like there are different things for sale—new vegetables that have come into season, new flavors of chocolate, or different varieties of bread.

11am-7pm every Monday at the Train Depot. Whether you are just visiting and would like a chance to see and sample what Palmer produces locally, or you are a regular customer who needs their weekly homemade bread fix, go visit! This unique gathering of friendly and gracious vendors is sure to have something delightful to brighten your day.

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Slivertip Design August 4th, 2014

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Silvertip shirts

When people come visit us in Palmer, they usually want some Alaska souvenirs to prove that they survived the visit. And often, as we visit all the stores looking for said souvenirs, we find that they all have more or less the same things for sale. But as I browsed through Silvertip Design, I realized they have a completely different selection.
In fact, all of Silvertip’s merchandise is exclusive—caps, shirts, jackets, hoodies, even onesies and bags. This is because Silvertip does custom embroidery and screen printing, which means that all the items in the store were designed and created by Silvertip.
“You can get all kinds of Alaskana items from Walmart, but our niche is locally produced items.” Owner Ron Richards said. Ron was born and raised in the valley, and started Silvertip in 1985. He values the Alaskan lifestyle, and tries to reflect that in his business. Besides selling his own designs in the shop, he also sells local artist’s work, including things like jewelry, woodworking, and quilts.

Silvertip

I was surprised to discover that a lot of Silvertip’s business doesn’t come from the gift shop. They design products to sell, locally and around the state. They embroider caps for local business, and shirts for organizations like the Palmer Little League or the Dance Studio. Ron says sometimes people come with a specific design already planned out, but other times, they just have a vague idea of what they need, and the designers at Silvertip help them create their pattern. (Fact: you don’t have to be a business to commission your own shirts or caps. Contact Silvertip if you have a need for custom embroidery or screen printing.)

If you are a fan of the AlaskaGrown clothing line, a visit to Silvertip is definitely in order. Silvertip has the largest selection of AlaskaGrown clothing in the state! (Never before had I seen a Cameo AlaskaGrown shirt.)