Post 7-30-2014 Palmer Musk Ox Farm and Tony Furtado

Post 7-30-2014 Palmer Musk Ox Farm and Tony Furtado

Oh what a beautiful morning! We awoke around 9 a.m and had our morning coffee and a light breakfast. Sun was shining brightly, temp was around 70 Degrees, little to no wind and low humidity. Got underway and headed toward Valdez, but it’s about 240 miles away. 

As we drove through Palmer, we saw a Musk Ox Farm and of course we had to pull in, and what a wonderful stop it was. They offered free tours with admission as well as touring the museum building where we learned the history of this farm and the bringing of Musk Ox to the area.

The Musk Ox is an ice age mammal that roamed the earth along with Saber-Toothed Tigers and woolly mammoths. Known to the Natives as “Oomingmak” which means “The Bearded One”.  This once endangered animal produces an annual harvest of “qivuit”, the finest wool in the world. It seems that the Musk Ox was virtually extinct in Alaska, having only two throughout the state.   

John Teal took on the project to farm them and bring them back.  In 1964 he imported 35 Musk ox from Greenland, gained support from the University of Alaska and started a Musk Ox farm in Fairbanks. The animals outgrew the area and were moved to another area that did not suit them before they came to the Farm.  They have been in this location for 30 years and the heard has grown from 35 to over 80. They send some to cold climate zoo’s and swap breeding stock with other farms. They have selective breeding, are well fed, properly medicated and their “qivuit” is harvested. The project includes teaching Native women from all over the state how to knit.  They must only knit the unique lacy patterns (different for each tribe) for the beautiful qivuit garments.  The project is an ongoing experiment but has been highly successful.  They contribute greatly to the restoration of the Musk Ox and give the Native women an income.

Scarf made of qivuit 

Adult 

Two year old

Two/three year old

Our tour guide- Jennifer

One year old 

One Year olds

One Year Old

The University started another Musk Ox program apart from the farm.  We went there when we were in Fairbanks, but it was closed. The UAA had a feeding problem that caused several to die, so the opportunity to see them today was a blessing.

Tony Furado

After reading his poster, we decided we would attend and especially since it would be there at the Musk Ox Farm, and boy, were we glad! Tony hails from Portland, OR. He is on his summer tour and Palmer was his first gig in Alaska. Apparently married with a 22 month old son and spoke dearly about him.  The show stopped, with laughter, when a man got up to take his little one away to care for him and in mid-song, Tony said “Hey, we've got the same diaper bag”.  We all cracked up!

Tony’s style of guitar and banjo performances was decidedly different from any I have ever heard. I was drawn to his poster thinking he must be a bluegrass musician and you all know how I dearly love that music. Tony’s style is very hard to describe. It sounds like blues in one instance and Woody Guthrie the next and when he played a Beatles tune it was totally different. He uses a bar and calls it “slide guitar and slide banjo” and that gives it some dobro and/ or Steel guitar sound. Whatever it is called we like it. Brought home a CD and we play it often. Tony, you’re already successful but if you keep your style going you will became famous. Thank you for such a wonderful evening of entertainment.

Tony Furado

1915 Model "T" Ford

Our background picture

 When you play Fairbanks, or anywhere for that matter, don’t forget our military. They are the reason we, you, I and everybody else enjoys our freedom today.  “Hobo Jim” played the national Anthem as a closure to his program in Soldotna. Everyone loved it. Fairbanks is about 1/3 military or retirees.

Keep the faith.