PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
—Kevin Irvin
Another growing season has come and gone. Each season seems to be different and the only constant being the daylight hours. Seems most apple varieties ripened later than the norm, at least here in East Anchorage. However, my Valiant grapes didn’t seem to have a problem ripening this year, and they kept getting sweeter the longer I left them on the vine, even after the tasting at the end of September. The pears didn’t fair so well this year and I attribute that to a couple of things. Sour cherries did fine as usual, seems no matter what the weather is like in a given year the pie cherries always come through. Still waiting for the apricots to blossom, maybe next year. And as for plums, still waiting for some of my varieties to bloom as well. I think we all know the variety to grow now, Opal.
With the change of seasons comes the start of our indoor meetings, and of course Officer elections. At this writing I have not contacted the other Officers to see who will be willing to stay on, but we will need to find another Newsletter Editor, Dwight will no longer be continuing, I for one will miss his great newsletters, but he has been burdened with the job long enough. It’s time for another member to volunteer for this job. The newsletter is an important part of our association and I hope someone will step forward and take over for Dwight. Another need is a Secretary, we have been operating for too long without one.
I think our association is a benefit to all of us as members and also to the public. If it wasn’t for us, many more people wouldn’t think apples can grow in Alaska, let alone any of the other fruits. For our association to continue into the new Millennium we desperately need more volunteers to share in the duties of keeping our association alive.
I will volunteer to one more year as President (note I said ONE more year) should you as a group decide to keep me in this position. I will not however, assume the newsletter duties also.