(The following is a press release from the University of Alaska Fairbanks news service)
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service has published a new comprehensive gardening manual.
“Sustainable Gardening: The Alaska Master Gardener Manual” was adapted for Alaska from an Oregon State University publication, “Sustainable Gardening: The Oregon-Washington Master Gardener Handbook.”
The 490-page manual, which sells for $40, is a basic gardening text. It also offers information on soils and fertilizers, propagation, berry crops, pruning, composting, flowers, greenhouses and season extenders, lawns, plant diseases, pesticides and integrated pest management. The manual is a good resource for home gardeners and also will be used as one component in Extension’s master gardener training programs.
Michele Hebert, Extension’s Tanana District agriculture and horticulture agent, was one of several people who contributed to the manual. She said gardeners need additional information to overcome the challenges and capitalize on the benefits of growing vegetables and flowers in the Far North.
The manual focuses on sustainable gardening practices, a holistic method for growing plants that is good for the environment, good for families and good for the community, said Hebert. “It takes a minimal input of labor, water, fertilizer and pesticides while building the soil into a healthy living system. A thoughtful balance is made between the resources used and the results gained.”
Other contributors to the manual include current and former Alaska Extension faculty Stephen Brown, Jeff Smeenk, Tom Jahns, Robert Gorman (of Sitka), Fred Sorensen, Julie Riley, Heidi Rader, Bob Wheeler, Peter Bierman and Jay Moore. Copies may be ordered through Extension’s toll-free line at 1-877-520-5211 or by clicking this link.
(The Alaska Public Radio Network ran this story about the book on the Tuesday, Sept. 7, Alaska News Nightly show.)
Sitka Local Foods Network 
Dear Bob Gorman, Nothing to do with sustainable gardening. A totally different subject. I used to have 8 bee hives when living in the midwest so am familiar with beekeeping. This summer at my Sitka home, on numerous occasions I noticed what looked like Italian bees (the kind many beekeepers have) working over my wife’s flowers. I’ve never seen this before in Sitka but was wondering if someone has a some hives here? Figured you might know. Thanks Bob. Jim Russell
Jim, Bob Gorman doesn’t build this site so I will forward your message to him and ask him to respond directly to you. He is about to go on vacation, so you might not hear back from him for awhile. If you still haven’t heard back from him after a couple of weeks, you can find his e-mail address on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service site, http://www.uaf.edu/ces/.