The Fourth of July holiday has some farmers markets taking a little break. Others are throwing a party.
Some of the regular markets closed this week include the Wednesday Center Market and the Thankful Thursdays, both at the Mall at Sears; and the APU Farmers Market on Wednesday. The Wasilla Farmers Market is closing a bit early, with hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The Farmers Market at Airport Heights (at Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop) is on as normal, and they are hosting a fund-raiser for AWAIC with Resolution Brewing Co. The market's hours this week are 3-7:30 p.m.
On Thursday, the Mountain View Farmers Market is doing a day-late holiday celebration.
"Our Independence Day BBQ at the market will be led by our neighborhood grill masters—GMA's Services and Cali's Smokey BBQ & Soulfood," says market manager Khalid Abdulahi. "Gwendolyn at GMA will have her signature smoked sausages and homemade burgers, while Theron and Alicia at Cali's will grill up tasty ribs and beans. Our youth vendor, Kate, will have fresh rhubarb lemonade top it all off!"
Other vendors lined up for the Mountain View market include Fresh International Gardens with produce, Mexican spiced muffins and pickled foods; and the Vang family, Black Bear Farms and the Seldovitch Farm all with a variety of fresh produce.
Muldoon Farmers Market
Jerrianne Lowther says the Muldoon Farmers Market "is expecting loads of fresh farm and garden produce this week as Dinkel's Veggies joins us with BaLesca's Brothers, Subba Gardens (salad mixes, spinach, mustard greens), Vang's Gardens (chives, greens, bok choy) and Arctic Wonder Marketplace (red, green and cherry tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers)." Those vendors will bring salad mixes, spinach, mustard greens, chives, bok choy and other produce with them.
Lowther says other vendors include Fresh International Gardens and The Shrimp Guy with frozen shrimp, Kodiak scallops and other seafood.
South Anchorage Farmers Market
More vendors are joining the party on the south side of town every week. New to the market this week according to Barb Landi are: Stockwell Farm with traditional vegetables like lettuces, greens, turnips and beets; and Vang Family farm with Asian specialty produce and herbs.
"VanderWeele's scrumptious strawberries are usually sold out in the first hour," Landi says, so get there early. "The very first zucchini are making an appearance and maybe even some small kohlrabi and cabbage. The market always has several food vendors providing delicious and tummy-filling hot or cold sandwiches for breakfast or lunch."
Rempel Family Farm will have baby carrots and zucchini this week, along with radishes, kales, snow apple turnips, spinach, arugula and other items.
Farm 779 will have plenty of fermented options, including for our canine friends. "Last week, we sold out of ferments for pets from The Dog Side," Julie Meer says. "We make it easy for you to be the very best pet guardian with ready-to-feed convenient raw Alaska sourced frozen meat disks, faux tripe and whey drops."
And cats don't miss out at the market. Daisy Nicolas of Drool Central is introducing "Cat Pow"—a dried cat treat made with wild Alaska salmon and fish liver, with eggs and taurine. Nicolas will have her regular lineup of dog treats too.
Anchorage Farmers Market
The recent heat wave has Arctic Organics' Sarah Bean—and other farmers too—excited about a growth spurt.
"We're hoping for a real boost from this amazing heat wave," Bean says. "It's such a contrast to the cool spring we had, but it will take more than a week of summer weather for the crops to catch up to 'normal.' We are starting to see progress in the favorite mid-season crops like broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower."
At Saturday's market, Bean says Arctic Organics will have spinach, kale, Easter Egg radishes, greens mix, escarole, pac choi, rhubarb, arugula, mibuna, lettuce, chives and basil.
Other vendors include: AD Farm, Brown Dog Farm, Ed & Tina's Kraut & Pickling, Happy Valley Chickens' eggs, Mom's Garden, Persistent Farmer, Seldovitch Farm, Shaggy Mane Shroomery, Stockwell Farm, Sun Fire Ridge, Turkey Red Café breads and treats, VanderWeele Farm and Vang Family Farm.
Spenard Farmers Market
Mark Butler reports that the Spenard Farmers Market is "absolutely loaded with Alaska grown and caught products" this week. Among the highlights: Chugach Farm with Napa cabbage and cucumbers; Dinkel's Veggies with two colors of zucchini and "perfect strawberries;" Four Tern Farm with grass-fed beef and fresh eggs; 2nd Act Flowers with potted plants and starts; and Glacier Seafood with "some of the best shrimp in Prince William Sound," Butler says.
Center Market
After taking the Fourth of July off, Alex Davis and the Center Market will be open again on Friday and Saturday. Davis has fresh veggies, including spinach, beet greens, salad mix and some kale, along with pork cuts, eggs (chicken, duck, turkey and Guinea), jams and other items.
Local farmers markets
Wednesday in Anchorage: Farmers Market at Airport Heights, 3-7:30 p.m., 2530 E. 16th Ave.
Wednesday outside of Anchorage: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., Ocean Drive; Soldotna Wednesday Market, 11 a.m.-6 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.-4 p.m., Iditapark
Thursday in Anchorage: Mountain View Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., 3543 Mountain View Drive
Thursday outside of Anchorage: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-8 p.m., American Legion Post 33
Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.
Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.; Muldoon Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 1301 Muldoon Road; 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: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Ocean Drive; Kenai Saturday Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center; Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., East Corral Avenue and Kenai Spur Highway; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks
Sunday in Anchorage: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.
Sunday outside of Anchorage: Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks