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August is here and that means loads of veggies from farmers' fields. And plenty of Alaska seafood too.
Get to your favorite farmers market, or maybe try a new one, and enjoy the pick (or catch) of the season.
"The Shrimp Guy returns with ocean-fresh salmon and seafood at Muldoon Farmers Market this week to go with loads of fresh produce from Valley farms and local gardens," Jerrianne Lowther says. "Berries, vine-ripened and heirloom tomatoes, root vegetables, all kinds of gorgeous greens and herbs are in abundance."
Lowther says Romanesco cauliflower, peas, green beans and sweet onions will be highlights at the market.
Duane Clark's Country Health Foods will have rutabaga, kohlrabi, snow apple turnips, sugar snap peas, radishes, kale, English cucumbers and purple snap beans at the market. He also will have grass-fed beef and yak, salsa, jams and zucchini relish. Country Health Foods will also be at Wednesday's Center Market and the Friday Fling.
Caitlin Taylor says Wildflour Bakery will introduce handmade, locally sourced organic fruit pies and galettes at the market this week.
"It's a new business that uses all locally foraged, harvested and grown ingredients, providing delicious treats that highlight the bounty of Alaskan berries, herbs and flowers," Taylor says. "All packaging is recycled. These baked goods embody what it means to be sustainable and enjoy the sweet treats of the earth that grow in our wild places."
Some of the vendor highlights include Black Bear Farm, Ba-Lescas Brothers, Fresh International Gardens, Vang Family Farm and Eva's Cupcakery.
Look for produce, artwork, food and tasty treats from more than 40 vendors at Saturday's market. Among the vendor highlights are the Ba-Lescas Brothers, Brown Dog Farm, Chugach Farms, Black Bear Farm, Seldovitsch Family Farm and Simple Living Farm.
Alex Davis says A.D. Farm is introducing pork fajita meat at this week's Center Market. "Goes great in stir fry, along with our snow peas, cabbage, carrots and whatever else trips your trigger," Davis says. Other pork items include bratwurst, loin roast, chops, ground pork and sausages.
Davis says there will also be carrots, full-size beets, cauliflower in three colors, zucchini, radishes, collard greens, broccoli, lettuce, items from Alaska Sprouts and Alaska Flour Co.
Sweet Caribou will be at Wednesday's market with a variety of macarons and other sweet treats. Owner James Strong says they are featuring the Espresso macaron, which is dairy free and contains an espresso shell with coffee-infused Belgian chocolate ganache.
South Anchorage Farmers Market
More than 30 vendors are lined up for Saturday's South Anchorage Farmers Market. The Wednesday market at the Dimond Center includes Glacier Valley Farm, Stockwell Family Farm, Two Sisters Greenhouse, Earthworks Farm and Arctic Wonder.
On Saturday, the Rempel Family Farm will be one of the produce vendors. Look for orange and purple carrots, green beans, cauliflower, beet greens, kales, mustards, red beets, lettuces and a wide variety of other items.
Sweet Caribou will have macarons, brownies, blondies, cupcakes and mixed berry bars. The macaron selection includes espresso, maple bacon, blood orange, triple lemon, chocolate mint, birthday cake and chocolate vanilla.
Arctic Choice Seafood has salmon, side stripe shrimp, rockfish, sablefish, halibut, oysters and other seafood. "The beautiful sockeye salmon are swimming for a tasteful delight over the grill on a cedar plank," Eva Warner says. "Marinated side stripe shrimp grilled or put on a kabob along with fresh veggies may tickle the palate."
"The market is getting busier and filled with more varieties of veggies from all farmers, making for a great array of choices for shoppers," says Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics, one of nine vendors lined up for this week.
Arctic Organics will have new crops of carrots and sugar-snap peas, along with green cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, Romanesco cauliflower, three varieties of beets, four types of kale, greens mix, arugula, radicchio, spinach, lettuces and a variety of other items.
Northway Mall Wednesday Market
Dinkel's Veggies will be at the Northway Mall on Wednesday, along with two markets in Wasilla and three Anchorage markets on Saturday.
The Dinkel stand will includes loads of tomatoes. "This week, several customers commented on how amazing our tomatoes are," Lesley Dinkel says. "They really make a sandwich stand out and are perfect on burgers."
In addition to tomatoes, look for pickling cucumbers, European cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, green and yellow zucchini, strawberries, leaf lettuce, green beans, Yukon gold and red potatoes, cauliflower and sweet onions.
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., Palmer Depot
Tuesday outside of Anchorage: Eagle River Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., VFW Post parking lot; Farmers Fresh Market, 3-6 p.m., 33955 Community College Drive, Soldotna; Southside Community Farmers Market, 4-7 p.m., Intercultural Assembly of God, Fairbanks
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Northway Mall Wednesday Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Northway Mall; South Anchorage Wednesday Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Dimond Center
Wednesday outside of Anchorage: Homer Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., Ocean Drive near the Washboard; Soldotna Wednesday Market, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Soldotna Creek Park; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks; Wasilla Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Iditapark, Wasilla
Thursday in Anchorage: APU Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 4101 University Drive; Mountain View Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., 3543 Mountain View Drive
Thursday in Peters Creek: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-8 p.m., American Legion Post 33, 21643 Old Glenn Highway
Friday in the Valley: Friday Fling, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., across from the Visitors Center
Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Third Avenue and E Street; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Muldoon Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Begich Middle School; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Center; Spenard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 2555 Spenard Road
Saturday outside of Anchorage: Homer Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Ocean Drive near the Washboard; Kenai's Saturday Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 11471 Kenai Spur Highway; Nenana Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Civic Center on Main Street; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks
Sunday in Anchorage: Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Third Avenue and E Street
Sunday in Fairbanks: Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road