Rob Wells is torn.
He wants to be at the Center Market selling dahlia tubers. But, he needs to get busy at the farm.
And the farm's about to win.
"I will be selling dahlia tubers at the Sears Mall on Wednesday and may not be back as I am in the greenhouse and taking care of my starts," Wells says.
Wells will have a nice selection of tubers with him Wednesday. He also has a "start for you" option, where he delivers dahlia starts later in the spring when it's just about time to transplant them outdoors. Visit thepersistentfarmer.com or contact him at 982-7182 for more information.
As our weak winter melts away, Julie Meer of Farm 779 says things are changing. "With the changing of the seasons, come the changing up of the Farm 779 kraut selection," she says. "In addition to our magenta red Karnivore Kraut, we are also offering Sunny Lemon Kraut. A delicious blend of Valley-sourced organic vegetables and Meyer lemons. If you love sunny things and Meyer lemons, you will adore this blend."
Farm 779 also will have its coconut kefirs, kvass, ginger kombucha and coconut-bee based body products at both markets this week.
La Grassa will have a new vegan pasta with them at the markets this week. New to the lineup is a vegan sweet potato, cashew ricotta and leek ravioli. Other pastas include both original and spinach hand-cut noodles available as fettuccine, tagliatelle and pappardelle, along with basil strozzapreti; Alaska kohlrabi, broccoli and asiago ravioli; buckwheat and ricotta gnocchetti; and Alaska roasted parsnip and goat cheese ravioli.
Sweet Caribou will be at the Center Market Wednesday and Saturday with a large selection of macarons. Wednesday's options include a pistachio shell with a honey Belgian and sea salt chocolate ganache, along with bananas Foster, chocolate mint, passion fruit, orange ginger carrot, chocolate coconut and strawberry lemonade. Saturday's menu includes a new matcha green tea macaron, along with a fleur de sol salted caramel and chocolate, mimosa, birthday cake, triple lemon, marshmallow and rose lychee.
Alaska Black Cod will be at both markets this week with smoked black cod and smoked salmon, along with frozen lingcod, halibut, scallops, black cod and yelloweye rockfish.
A.D. Farm will have a full booth with pork products, barley items, eggs and storage vegetables. The pork lineup includes suckling pigs, loin roast, chops, fresh side sliced and slab, ground pork, Italian sausage, spicy sausage, breakfast sausage patties, ribs, roast, bone for broth, fat for rendering, liver, feet and hocks. Alex Davis also has 40-pound boxes of pork. Vegetables include carrots in four colors, four varieties of potatoes, red beets and cabbage. Davis also will have eggs, barley products and items from Alaska Sprouts, including sprouts, microgreens, tofu and fresh basil.
On Saturday, Rempel Family Farm will be at the market with 12 varieties of potatoes, three kinds of beets, carrots in three colors, stripetti winter squash, daikon radishes, parsnips and green cabbage. The Rempels also will have their hormone- and antibiotic-free yak meat.
Duane Clark of Country Health Foods will be at Wednesday's market with grass-fed beef and yak, along with ground lamb and soup bones. He also will have honey, jams, salsa, zucchini relish and Alaska bottled water. Clark will be at Duane's Top Shelf Artisan Market in the Valley on Friday at Saturday.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Depot Farm Market, noon-6 p.m., Palmer Depot
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Friday in the Valley: Duane's Top Shelf Farmers Market, 2-7 p.m., 1507 N. Double B St., Palmer
Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Saturday in the Valley: Duane's Top Shelf Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., 1507 N. Double B St., Palmer
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.