Into Alaska - Alaska and Points North: Tips and Tales from the Road - page 111

We are suckers for local markets. With the poster in the laundry promising a Farmer's Mar-
ket the next morning we set off. Steve figured they would be selling old farmers there and
was disappointed when he couldn't find any for sale. Have no idea what he was going to do
if he found one or what he would be willing to pay. We already have enough old farmers in
the family.
What they did have is the biggest radishes I've ever seen - like small apples. This really
surprised me, I thought the short growing season would make vegetable gardening a hope-
less pursuit. Just the opposite. While the growing season itself is short, the daylight during
that season is virtually constant and vegetables love this. They are huge. They have con-
tests and the winning cabbage in 2000 weighed in at 105.6 pounds. Right.
They can keep that cabbage but we are always on the prowl for the world's best cinnamon
rolls, so we took away a tray of those for testing as well as a rhubarb tart. Both achieved
high marks but we'll keep testing till we've checked out a few more I think.
Market goods included all manner of homemade products from preserves and honey to rag
mats, art cards, photography, paintings and handmade needlework and crochet.
Down on the spit, a blue-sky morning offered up the spectacular view you start to expect
as a given in Alaska. The spit is surrounded on three sides by the deep turquoise waters of
Kachemak Bay, back dropped by towering snow-capped peaks. It's all about fishing here
so the harbour bobs with boats, big and little. Every second shop is a charter outfit.
From the spit you can get a ferry to Halibut Cove and Kachemak Bay State Park. The park
has no public services but there are 130 km /80 mi of hiking trails and campsites. Halibut
Cove is knownas an artists colony,with homes and galleries built out over the bay onstilts.
Walking the spit, a stand of intensely blue lupines attracted us to a bone yard of old boats,
nets, floats and such. Very picturesque with lots of interesting stuff to look at including a
dry docked pirate ship of sorts that had a plethora of additions tacked onto the decks, mak-
ing it the most interesting live-aboard we'd ever seen.