Andy and the gang on the Big Show Agricultural Tour of Alaska with Holiday Vacations are having a wonderful time so far and here are a handful of the highlights. We started with a tour of a barley farm where they add value by grinding their barley into flour:
They've got about 3,500 acres but rotate between pasture for cattle and growing barley on about a third of their acres:
That's a 20 foot air seeder which came from overseas and cost - are you ready for this - $225,000. Wow! Now, inside the flour plant:
You get an up-close look at Jeff checking out how the products are separated into those long socks with the final products looking like this:
There was also a stop at North Pole:
Then some time to ride in a vehicle pulled by sled dogs and to learn about the most famous sled race in the word:
The rain stopped and the skies cleared just in time:
All of these Alaskan Huskies will compete in the 2018 Iditarod:
Off went Andy, Bethine, Jean and Tom and here is Andy's view:
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The view over Cook Inlet about sunset - notice the back-lit mountains in the distance:
A visit to the musk ox farm was in store to learn more about these pre-ice age creatures:
The inner hair of the musk ox, or Qiviut is 8 times warmer by weight when compared to the wool of sheep:
These 6-800 pound creatures rally look like a smaller version of a woolly mammoth:
The farm is a non-profit and look who is one of the leaders:
They really are a sight to be seen, and you can hear more on Friday's Big Show with another of Andy's reports:
On the opening day of the Alaska State Fair one has to check out the giant vegetables:
Two more days of touring before the group returns to Iowa with many more pictures to come.