News on the  home front.  The geese are here and the baby bison are too!  Over the next 3/4 weeks we should have a number of bison being born.  The elk calves will come later.

And interesting Global Warming article written by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear in the Bison World April, May & June 2008 issue.  These are award winning authors and anthropologists who live on the Red Canyon Ranch in Thermopolis, Wyoming along with 100 head of award winning " Glorious Bison".  They are long-time members of the NBA and noted authors who have co-authored 23 international anthropological bestsellers.  The article  is in the Bison Review, published by the Western Bison Association www.westernbison.org.   "We can't solve the glogal warming problem by taking food out of the mouths of human beings, or, even if we can, it's certainly not the best way to do it.  The result will be famines, epidemics, and world war.  The thundering hoof beats of the Horsemen will be loud and clear.  How, then, do we solve the problem?  How do we preserve the earth, an her wonderful diversity of species?  How do we protect buffalo when land for grazing animals will be needed for growing food crops?  The problem isn't really fossil fuels.  It isn't really agriculture.  It's mouths.  There's only one way to solve the problem...by having fewer human mouths to feed."

The article may seem extreme but we know the populations of the world are growing and the needs of food.  Be open to be proactive and sensible in helping the future develop a plan now.

Another read:  "Facing the Economics of Climate Change" by Peter Larsen from Alaska Business Monthly, www.akbismaz.com, April 2008 edition.  "It is highly likely that rapid climate change will continue to be a significant issue in Alaska for years to come.  Consequently, economists will play a critical role in developing strategic methods to address the challenges from climate change and to promote the opportunities that may be ahead for Alaska."  Peter Larsen is senior policy adviser on Climate Change and Energy at The Nature Conservancy. He led research at the UAF's Institute of Social and Economic Research that estimated the dollar value of the state's infrastructure at risk from projected climate change. 

We were once asked by a fellow farmer, why do you bother to raise animals?  Why do you choose to be a herdsman?  We have always raised livestock.  We have raised domestic hogs, Angus cattle, Chianina cattle, wild boar hogs, chickens, exotic birds, elk, reindeer, and bison.  It would be an easier life to just farm the ground, put up a crop as we have done in the past but we feel, not only is it wonderful to raise our own food source, but we feel that we can do so for other Alaskans too.  This is why we began the game ranch business, it is a meat source of a healthy animal.  The animal is taken under little stress, the meat is quality and the animals are well cared for.  We care what we eat and we like to think that others feel the same too.