Gardening in Alaska : Separated at birth?

Talk Dirt To Me

Gardening in Alaska presents big challenges, whether it's the extra effort in finding plants tough enough to survive our Zone 2-4 climate, communicating with like-minded Alaska gardeners, or keeping up with the latest trends, issues and solutions. We'll try to help with that. We'll also tour gardens from Homer to Anchorage to Wasilla to Willow whenever we get the chance, and post the best garden photos around. Presenting a forum about cold-weather gardening and for cold-weather gardeners is what we are all about. We hope you'll join us on the Talk Dirt garden blog.

Photographer and gardener Fran Durner (fdurner@adn.com) writes the blog.

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Jeff Lowenfels

A member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame, Jeff writes a weekly column on gardening in Alaska.

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Separated at birth?

Posted by talkdirt

Posted: November 2, 2008 - 11:21 am

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Troy Zaumseil, co-founder of CANWIN took top prize in the Todd Palin look-alike contest this week! Erik Hill/ADN

A round of applause for Weed Warrior Troy Zaumseil, co-founder of CANWIN (Citizens Against Noxious Weeds Invading the North) who stood out over several strong contestants in the final round of the Todd Palin look-alike contest held over five weeks at Blues Central in Anchorage.

After winning the final round of interviews and posing last Wednesday, Troy's prizes included a guided hunting trip, a rifle, and his picture on the label of 'Todd Pa-lime' flavor of Jones Soda.

Lori Zaumseil (Troy's wife and other CANWIN co-founder,) claimed the motivation for entering the contest was the guided hunting trip. Troy said, "the things I'll do to shoot a moose!!" They also went so far as to slightly darken Troy's hair and beard to increase his chances of winning.

Well, we already knew the Zaumseil's were winners - on October 27, Lori sent out this email: "In the spirit of the Little Engine that Could, we just got our approval letter from the IRS.....CANWIN is now officially a 501(c)(3)!! 24 page application, 9 pages of re-explanation and promises never to be discriminatory or in conflict with anyone, 8 months later and we are approved!! Excited and a little nervous about the potential this opens up for Troy and I to expand our "boundaries" and the CWMA (Cooperative Weed Management Area) to get serious about getting ourselves funded!! All over Alaska thistles are trembling!!"

Again, kudos to both of them!

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