Don't fret if your vegetables, herbs or flowers aren't in the ground yet. There are plenty of options remaining at local farmers markets and nurseries.
"For gardeners, we'll have plenty of vegetable and flower seedlings, whose varieties are well-suited to Alaska's special growing conditions - i.e. long hours of daylight, northern soils and the short growing season," says Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics and the Anchorage Farmers Market.
Bean expects to have those plant starts with her at Saturday's market, along with a large selection of tomato plants in gallon pots for $13.50. The varieties include Siberian-type plants that are good for growing outdoors and greenhouse-type plants including Early Girl, Big Beef, Sun God and Sweet 100. Additionally, Arctic Organics will have hanging baskets, sprouted potatoes for planting, apple trees and fertilizer blends.
Fresh items from Arctic Organics will include greens mix and two varieties of arugula, along with basil, chives and marjoram. There also will be overwintered potatoes. Other vendors include Seldovitsch Family Farm, Persistent Farmer, Matanuska Creamery, Bushes Bunches, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Turkey Red Cafe, Three Bears Farm, Matanuska Gardens and Arctic Sun Gardening.
At the Center Market, A.D. Farm, Country Health Foods, Matanuska Creamery, Fat Boy Ribs, Mile 5.2 Greenhouse and Coffee Roastery will be setting up today and Saturday at its new location at the Mall at Sears. The market has a new website
(www.thecentermarket.com) for updates.
This week, Duane Clark of Country Health Foods will have grass-fed Alaska beef, frozen Alaska seafood, honey and breads from the French Oven Bakery. Alex Davis of A.D. Farm expects to have about 100 dozen chicken eggs and six dozen duck eggs, along with pork products, jams and handmade soap. Plant starts include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, strawberries and possibly some wild perennials.
Nancy Lampman from the South Anchorage Farmers Market reports that the recent weather has been great for farmers.
"The weather has been exceptional and crops are progressing very nicely," she says. "Everyone is bursting at the seams with beautiful plant starts and a few of the early greenhouse crop items are starting to appear."
Saturday, fresh rhubarb was available and she is predicting fresh strawberries and English cucumbers this week.
Arthur Keyes of Glacier Valley Farm says the good weather is keeping him plenty busy: "In the field, we have a few plants left to plant and then we will enter the next phase of the season, maintaining the plants and weeding the weeds. So now a majority of my time will be spent driving my cultivating tractor back and forth up and down each row cultivating the weeds."
Some highlights from vendors:
Glacier Valley Farm: Hanging strawberry baskets and tomato baskets.
County Garden Farms: 100 percent nugget Kentucky Bluegrass sod in 2-foot-by 5-foot rolls.
South Fork Jams and Jellies: Several varieties of heirloom tomato plants and jams and jellies.
Bearsden Gardens: Several plant starts, including sweet banana peppers, mixed hot peppers, sweet green peppers and several varieties of tomatoes. Herbs include several varieties of basil, Greek oregano, tarragon, dill, cilantro and chives. They also will have annual and perennial flowers, including sunflowers that are already two feet tall.
Gray Owl Farm: Component plants for baskets and planters, along with some perennials and aromatherapy mints, sages and herbs.
The Blue Poppy: Plants, including the popular blue poppies.
Heart of the Mountain Organics: Lots of starter plants, including vegetables and herbs (lettuces, tomatoes, kale, green cabbage, broccoli, cilantro, dill, thyme, oregano, basil and spearmint) and flowers (foxglove, poppies, bachelor buttons, marigolds, blue lobelia, rhubarb, black currants and white fireweed).
Arctic Choice: Lots of seafood, including fresh Copper River king and sockeye salmon, halibut, troll-caught king salmon, sablefish, side-stripe shrimp, cod and rockfish.
Matanuska Creamery: Pepper jack cheese, 4-year-old cheddar cheese, cheese curds, ice cream and home-churned butter.
Other products include French Oven Bakery breads and pastries, honey, birch syrup, candy, mustards, kettle corn in a variety of flavors, and meats and sausages.
The Spenard Farmers Market will have slightly different hours this week, opening from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market is adjusting its hours so Chilkoot Charlie's can prepare for an outdoor concert later Saturday. On June 11, the hours return to the normal 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Among the many items at the market should be fresh Copper River salmon and fresh ling and black cod from Seward.
As local farmers start bringing more greens to the market, it seems appropriate to share a recipe to make good use of that healthy produce.
Wild greens soup with egg and Pecorino Romano
1 pound wild greens, mixed or not
2 onions, julienne
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth
3 large eggs
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano
Salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
Boil the greens in plenty of hot, salty water until almost cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well, coarsely chop them, and squeeze out most of the water.
In a soup pot, sweat the onions with the olive oil over medium-low heat. When tender, but not colored, after 4 to 5 minutes, add the chopped greens and mix well. Pour the broth into the onions and greens, and bring to a simmer.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the grated Pecorino, and add the egg-cheese mixture into the broth. Bring to a simmer again for 1 or 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, use a whisk to "whip" the broth. Serve immediately.
Note: Any wild greens from the fields will work in this soup. This soup is a remake of the classic stracciatella, which is also quite popular all over the world. Spinach is very often used in the classic stracciatella. I like the idea of using different greens, bitter or not, such as collard greens, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens and dandelion greens instead of only spinach. Parsely or any other fresh herbs may be added as well.
Source: "A Tavola: Recipes and Reflections on Traditional Italian Home Cooking" by Gianna Scappin and Vincenzo Lauria (Lebhar-Friedman Books, $29.95)
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please contact him at sedwards@adn.com.
Local farmers markets
Today: Center Market, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Friday: Palmer Friday Fling, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Pavilion across from Visitor’s Center
Saturday: Anchorage Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 15th and Cordova in the Central Lutheran Church parking lot; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Subway/Cellular One Sports Center at the corner of Old Seward Highway and O’Malley Road; Spenard Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Spenard Road and 26th Avenue
Sunday: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets
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