Alaska News

Market Fresh: Last weekend is here for South, Center markets this year

It's always hard to say goodbye.

And this week, market-goers have to bid adieu to a pair of popular farmers markets -- the South Anchorage Farmers Market and the Anchorage Farmers Market.

Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics is keeping a positive attitude as she approaches the final Anchorage Farmers Market of the season.

"It's looking like we'll have ideal weather to harvest all week, culminating again with a warm Saturday morning for market," she says.

For Arthur Keyes of Glacier Valley Farm and the South Anchorage market, the last market of the year is a time to celebrate.

"I look forward to this coming Saturday and all of the friends and customers I will see and hug," Keyes says. "I know all of the vendors at the South Anchorage Farmers Market feel the same way. So please come and say goodbye to your favorite vendors and farmers."

Anchorage Farmers Market

The last market of the year will feature Arctic Organics, Persistent Farmer, Stockwell Farm, Seldovitsch Farm, VanderWeele Farm, Vang Family Garden and Turkey Red baked goods.

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Bean says they'll have "plenty of root vegetables, cabbages and fall leafy greens to stock up on." Some of the vegetable highlights include: potatoes, leeks, red onions, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, daikon, snow apple and purple top turnips, rutabaga, Brussels sprouts, red and green cabbage, tomatoes, red bell peppers, scallions, rainbow chard, collards, four varieties of kale, broccoli raab, assorted salad greens and herbs.

Arctic Organics will begin its winter veggie special orders on Oct. 21. Bean says they will send out a weekly listing of vegetables available. Subscribe to the Arctic Organics email list by visiting http://eepurl.com/gCa-L.

South Anchorage Farmers Market

Twenty vendors are scheduled for the final market of the season.

"What beautiful fall weather we are having," Keyes says. "The low winter sun is now casting its shadows and the fields are all cleaned up, it's a great time to enjoy the peace and quiet after such a busy season."

Some of the vendor highlights include:

Rempel Family Farm will have a large number of fall vegetables, including 12 varieties of new potatoes, carrots in three colors, eight varieties of winter squash, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, arugula, collards, daikon, broccoli, cauliflower, red, cylinder and golden beets, bok choi, green mustard, mizuna, tatsoi, salad mix, radishes and snow apple turnips. "This Saturday is the day to stock up for the rest of the month," Mark Rempel says.

Drool Central will have "pumpkin galore dog treats to celebrate October," says owner Daisy Nicolas. Items include: Le Coeur Rouge, a new product, which includes organic pumpkin puree, Rempel's red beets, organic yellow split-pea flour, Alaska grown fresh eggs and citric acid; fresh-baked Pumpkin Chicken Muttfins and a dehydrated version, Pumpkin Chicken Bits.

La Grassa will have spinach, original and porcini hand-cut noodles; vegan herb strozzapreti; Alaska potato gnocchi; Alaska kale, ricotta and roasted garlic ravioli; and roasted red pepper and goat cheese ravioli. La Grassa also will be at Wednesday's Center Market.

Additional vendors include: Glacier Valley Farm, Maryjane's Cinnamon Rolls, VanderWeele Farm, Joan's Salmon Burgers, Earthworks Farm, Arctic Choice, Three Bears Farm, Sweet Caribou, Stockwell Family Farm, Sweet and Sassy Kettle Corn, Pam's Veggies, Wild Scoops, Non-Essentials, Joan's Jams and Jellies, Sun Circle Farm and Two Sisters Greenhouse.

Center Market

The year-round indoor market is open Wednesday and Saturday at The Mall at Sears.

Monica Droz of Monica's Confection Connection returns to the Center Market this week with a variety of nut brittles.

Farm 779 will debut new hand-rolled beeswax candles in three colors. They are "perfect for providing positive ions and ambiance while filling your home with the sweet smell of beeswax," Julie Meer says. "We will also have our fabulous ferments featuring raw coconut and sustainable veg along with our hand-blended and poured Lazy Mountain Gold and rosemary magnesium body products."

Alex Davis will take a break on Wednesday from harvesting to be at the market. "We're working hard to get the crops out of the field and into storage," he says. "This week, we'll get the beets done and we'll start working on the carrots."

Beets and carrots will be at this week's markets, along with three varieties of potatoes, cabbage and Brussels sprouts from the fields. He also has a large selection of pork items including chops, sausage, skin and fat. Other items at his market booth include fresh eggs, pies from A Pie Stop, Alaska Sprouts items and barley products from Alaska Flour Co.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

Alaska farmers markets

Monday in Palmer: Depot Farm Market, noon-6 p.m., Palmer Depot

Wednesday in Anchorage: Alaska Pacific University Farmers Market, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m., APU campus in front of Grant Hall; Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

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Thursday in Peters Creek: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., American Legion Post 33, Old Glenn Highway

Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Central Lutheran Church, 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Complex at the corner of Old Seward Highway and O'Malley Road

Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. He writes the Market Fresh column weekly and can be reached akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

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