Rob Wells calls the last few months "the winter that wasn't."
Like many, he's looking forward to spring. But as the dahlia-growing Persistent Farmer, he has a different perspective -- one that comes from 150-plus varieties of flowers.
Wells will be at Wednesday's Center Market at The Mall at Sears with some of those dahlia tubers.
"I can't bring them all in," Wells said. "I have all sizes, forms and colors. Folks can stop by and look at a catalog and let me know what to bring in for them in coming weeks.
"As I sort through and pull my preorders, it's always interesting to see if my estimates match reality on how many good cuts I made last fall so that the tuber has an eye to start growing. I am still finding varieties that are not in my catalog or website, so I will be offering some specials in coming weeks."
Wells will be at the Wednesday market throughout March with those tubers. And he expects to be at a few of the Saturday Center Markets too.
For those who don't want to pot up their own tubers, Wells is willing to do the dirty work.
"Folks order the tuber and for an additional $7 per six inch pot, I will keep it warm with good natural light, organic soil and some mycorrhizal fungi for better tuber development until May," he said. "Customers have been happy with this option, as those without a greenhouse can receive a plant that hasn't been reaching for light in a house that's too warm and tends to produce a weaker start."
Check out thepersistentfarmer.com for more information.
Center Market
Pasta, vegetables, prepared soups, sweets and yak meat are just a few of the items available from Center Market vendors on Wednesday and Saturday.
Available both Wednesday and Saturday are the following vendors:
A.D. Farm: Alex Davis will have a variety of potatoes and carrots, along with pork items, fresh eggs, Alaska Flour Co. barley items and, on Wednesday, beets, cabbage and squash from Rempel Family Farm.
Country Health Foods: Duane Clark will have grass-fed beef and yak, Alaska shrimp, raw honey and items from Alaska Sprouts.
La Grassa: Get locally produced pasta, including vegan basil strozzapreti, mushroom and ricotta ravioli, super green ravioli, Alaska potato gnocchi and roasted golden beet almond and goat cheese ravioli.
Mosquito Mama: Look for the special Balsamic Buzzzz sauce.
On Wednesday only, these vendors will be at the market:
Alaska Vegan & Gluten Free: Kristin Donaldson will have her regular lineup of prepared foods, including Moroccan tagine, red lentil dahl, yellow carrot ginger soup, lentil vegetable soup and red beans and wild brown rice with pico de gallo.
Farm 779: Julie Meer will have coconut and cashew kefirs, golden and red beet "old world ferment kvass," local sustainable kraut and coconut bacon. "Also in abundance will be our Lazy Mountain gold body balm and rosemary magnesium body butter," she said.
Monica's Confection Connection: Monica Droz will have a variety of gourmet brittles.
On Saturday, visit the Rempel Family Farm booth for carrots, beets, cabbage, daikon radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, stripetti squash, parsnips, 12 varieties of potatoes and yak meat.
Top Shelf Artisan Market
Top Shelf Artisan Market in Palmer will feature a new vendor this week. "If you love rich, delicious cinnamon rolls and cookies that actually melt in your mouth, you will want to come by and buy some goodness," said Meer, who organizes the Top Shelf market.
Other vendors include Jonesers with nectars and herbal tea blends; Country Health Foods with local grass-fed meats, salsa, sweet relish and other items; and Farm 779 with regular kefir, double fermented citrus and coconut bacon.
From the sea
The big seafood news is still a week away, said John Jackson of New Sagaya Markets.
"Fresh halibut will be opening next Saturday," he said. "The quota was increased about 1.708 million pounds, about a 5.8 percent increase. Personally, I don't think this will alleviate any pricing on the short term but we will see."
Seafood available this week includes troll-caught kings from Southeast. "Troll kings have been available more in the last week and a half then throughout the whole winter," Jackson said. "Pricing has come down somewhat but not enough to make a noticeable change in prices at the retail or wholesale levels. This is especially so this time of the year when that is the only fresh wild salmon around. The fish have been beautiful, though."
New Sagaya has Alaska cod fillets for $5.99 per pound, along with fresh rockfish, especially quillback rockfish, which is a cod bycatch that Jackson described as "delicious steamed or sautéed."
Dannon Southall from 10th & M Seafoods reports similar good news on the salmon, cod and rockfish. They also have live Alaska oysters, manila clams and mussels for $14.95/dozen, $7.95/pound and $5.95/pound.
"If you are looking to take your taste buds and your mind to the tropics, we will have a good selection of warm water fish," Southall said. "Fresh sushi grade big eye tuna, spearfish and mahi mahi will be available."
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday: Depot Farm Market, noon-6 p.m., Palmer Depot
Wednesday: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Friday: Top Shelf Artisan Market, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 550 S. Alaska St., Palmer
Saturday: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street