Rural Nutrition Services and Alaska Native Food Systems

I've been in Fairbanks all week for a one week intensive session for my Rural Nutrition Service classes. This includes basic nutrition and then a class on Alaska Native Food Systems. I've been having a good time and learning a lot of really good and applicable information (geared especially towards rural Alaskans who live a mostly subsistence lifestyle).
Not only are we learning basic nutrition but we are also learning about the more traditional aspects of diet and medicine...you know, like medicinal herbs and such. Pictured above is Audrey Sunnyboy, author of Denyaa Vee, Medicine Plants of Interior Alaska's People (and yes, Mom, I got you an autographed copy of her book). She was teaching us to make yogurt at home in that picture.

The view I've had for the last 5, 10-hour days. Lots of good snacks!

UAF got a special grant for the project and that included funding for air travel and hotel. This is our shuttle to and from class. Alix was the first fellow student that I met upon arriving in Fairbanks, she hails from Seldovia, she is the one sticking her tongue out at me. Dorthy, in front, is a massage therapist.

This is the same program that CD went through last year. We have a different instructor this year, seen in blur because she is always in motion. Susan Runyan is awesome. There are 16 of us in the class, and we have lots of questions so we keep her on her toes.

I'm heading home tomorrow. I miss SP very much.