Anchorage Daily News

While the rain certainly puts a damper on hay farming, vegetable farmers around the Valley at least have crops to harvest.

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When it's not raining, Mark Rempel says, bees at his place near the Butte are doing a good job of pollinating peas and green beans that are blooming, and he has a few winter squash coming in.

Most important, though, might be the first arrival of carrots.

Rempel will have small ones at today's market at the Northway Mall and at the South Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday. Also look for broccoli and green onions in small amounts.

FOR RADISH FANS

If you're into radishes, Sarah and River Bean of Arctic Organics have interesting choices this season.

French Breakfast and Easter Egg radishes should be on your list.

The first is described as having a crisp texture and a mild to delicately sweet flavor. It's a slender radish that can grow to 3 inches long, with a bright-red outer skin that turns white at the base.

Easter Egg has a variety of shapes and colors with a crisp texture and a peppery hot flavor. The heat varies from mild to very strong.

The Beans will also have broccoli sideshoots, white turnips with greens; leaf, romaine, oak-leaf and butter lettuces; spinach, arugula, mixed greens, mibuna, tat soi, Chinese cabbage, pac choi, basil and nasturtium blossoms.

They'll be at the Anchorage Farmers Market, 15th Avenue and Cordova Street, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Their farm stand is open Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m., 1305 N. Smith Road, just south of the Mt. View RV Park. For information, call 1-907-746-1087.

A CORNUCOPIA

Vitali Seldovitsch will be at several markets this week with garlic, green onions, red and white turnips, beets, cilantro, dill, chard, radishes, arugula, Toscano kale, lettuces and baby bok choi.

He plans to be at the Wasilla Farmers Market today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other stops include the Eagle River market from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Anchorage Farmers Market and from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sunday market downtown.

The Dinkel family will join Seldovitsch at the Wasilla Market today. They'll also be at Northway Mall today, Friday Fling in Palmer and Third Avenue on Saturday.

Mark Dinkel says they have a bunch of zucchini, plus pickles, strawberries and tomatoes. He hopes to have broccoli by Saturday.

Vern and Becky of Stockwell Farm will be at Northway Mall and South Anchorage Farmers Market today and the Anchorage Farmers Market and the South Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday.

They'll have a variety of Asian greens, Napa cabbage, radishes, red-leaf lettuce, red butter lettuce, Swiss chard and salad mix.

DUCKS, PIGS AND CHEESE

Alex Davis said he's considering reducing the size of his flock of ducks, so if you're interested in one, you should call him at 1-907-746-0038.

He has also run out of pigs but is starting a waiting list. Davis said his biggest one weighed 291 pounds and butchered out to 208 pounds. He sells them in sides if you don't have freezer space for a whole hog.

Davis will be at Northway Mall today and at the South Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday.

Look for Cranberry Ridge Farm jack cheese at $15 for 8 ounces. He will also have vine-ripened tomatoes, beet greens, spinach, rhubarb, fresh eggs, homemade jams and goat cheese.

Find T.C. Mitchell online at adn.com/contact/tcmitchell or call 1-907-352-6716.

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