Game Ranching In Alaska - Networking In The Far North Is Key
- By Ruby Hollembaek
- Published 27 March 2008
Ruby Hollembaek
Born in Seward and raised in Palmer, Alaska - my family has a long heritage in Alaska. My credentials include an owner of a Bison and Elk ranch in Delta, Alaska - with my husband, Scott. Other - teacher, artist, community activist, facilitator, mother, grandmother, etc.
Alaska Interior Game Ranch, Inc.
"Where Quality is Game"
HC 62 Box 5580
Delta Junction, AK 99737
www.bisonandelk.com
(Shop-Office) 907/895-4715
(Fax) 907/895-9810
ARTWORK: Alaska Mosaic
RANCH BLOG
It is vital that networking take place. Ranching and farming take up a tremendous amount of time with the intense summers and the
long dark winters. But in Alaska we have less than 2%, maybe less than 1%, of land in private hands. Of this, there is even less in agriculture. It is imperative that in order to survive in agriculture in this state, producers make an effort to network, set up websites, attend conferences and generally get their businesses out their in the pubic eye. We are active in the Alaska Diversified Livestock Association: www.adlaninc.blogspot.com along with members of the AK Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, National Bison Association, National Elk Breeders Association, Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce.
Our operation is small. We have about 2,000 acres of farmland & grazing land. We have about 300 bison at this time and about 30 elk. We started out as a grass and grain seed business in the late 70's and early 80's but turned to wild game ranching, mainly bison, about 13 years ago. We raise some of our own hay and have recently rented a neighbor's field for more. With the price of fuel, fertilizer and electricity increasing..I'm unsure of our future. We have been able to sell our animals off the farm, this alleviates the transportation issue of loading and moving an animal to a slaughter facility. It is optimum for the animal, customer and producer with little stress on the animal. This allows us to provide a meat source directly to customers.
However, it has been our dream to produce enough animals to be able to take a certain % of them to Delta Meat and Sausage, which is just about 15 miles down the road from us and have the meat be able to supply local state restaurant and store needs.
long dark winters. But in Alaska we have less than 2%, maybe less than 1%, of land in private hands. Of this, there is even less in agriculture. It is imperative that in order to survive in agriculture in this state, producers make an effort to network, set up websites, attend conferences and generally get their businesses out their in the pubic eye. We are active in the Alaska Diversified Livestock Association: www.adlaninc.blogspot.com along with members of the AK Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, National Bison Association, National Elk Breeders Association, Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce.
Our operation is small. We have about 2,000 acres of farmland & grazing land. We have about 300 bison at this time and about 30 elk. We started out as a grass and grain seed business in the late 70's and early 80's but turned to wild game ranching, mainly bison, about 13 years ago. We raise some of our own hay and have recently rented a neighbor's field for more. With the price of fuel, fertilizer and electricity increasing..I'm unsure of our future. We have been able to sell our animals off the farm, this alleviates the transportation issue of loading and moving an animal to a slaughter facility. It is optimum for the animal, customer and producer with little stress on the animal. This allows us to provide a meat source directly to customers.
However, it has been our dream to produce enough animals to be able to take a certain % of them to Delta Meat and Sausage, which is just about 15 miles down the road from us and have the meat be able to supply local state restaurant and store needs.
Check out our more extensive blog at www.gameranchinginalaska.blogspot.com
UAF Professor, Dr. Milan Shipka, and myself as the Alaska Diversified Livestock Association, Inc. honors Dr. Shipka for his support of Alaskan agriculture.
