It's hard to beat fresh Alaska produce. It's pretty much impossible to beat that produce when it's free.

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And that's what you'll find at the South Anchorage Farmers Market on Saturday.

Of course, all the produce isn't free, but VanderWeele Farms will be giving away free broccoli for early rising customers. There is a small catch -- you have to sign up for the market newsletter and print out a coupon that comes with this week's newsletter.

Here's how to do it: 1) Sign up at www. SouthAnchorageFarmersMarket.com; 2) sign up for e-mail newsletter before noon Thursday; 3) print out the coupon; 4) get to the market early (it opens at 9 a.m. and the free broccoli won't last all day).

VanderWeele Farms will also have celery, beets, carrots, Yukon Gold new potatoes, jumbo yellow onions, radishes, red and green cabbage, and several varieties of cauliflower and lettuce.

Other items at the South Anchorage market include zucchini, English cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries from Glacier Valley Farms; salmon, scallops, oysters, side-stripe shrimp and other seafood from Arctic Choice Seafoods; green beans, celery, onions, leeks, pickling cucumbers and dozens of other veggies from the Rempel Family Farm (they also will be at today's market at the Northway Mall); whole wheat sourdough levain, Alaskan barley bread, rosemary bread, Alaska potato and chive, and other varieties of bakery items from Rise & Shine Bakery; sea buckthorn vinaigrette dressing, farmer's cheese, multigrain gluten-free bread and market pies from the Red Beet Cafe; and Romanesco cauliflower and 12 flavors of handmade chocolate truffles from the French Oven Bakery.

A new market on the scene is the Eagle River Farmers Market, open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays in front of Mike's Meats at the intersection of Business Boulevard and the Old Glenn Highway. Arthur Keyes from Glacier Valley Farm will be there with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli and other items.

All the nice growing weather -- rain, then sunshine -- has kept Sarah Bean from Arctic Organics busy in the fields. (She's not alone, as all the farmers are spending plenty of time harvesting.) She says: "The crops are going gangbusters. ... Another glorious day of sunshine for the veggies. We are feeling a little twinge of late summer cool nights though -- we awoke to 40 degrees this morning."

The Beans will have cabbage, radicchio, daikon, kohlrabi, zucchini, broccoli, turnips, radishes, plenty of greens and herbs including Genovese basil, marjoram, thyme, lemon and anise basil, sage, lovage and cilantro with them at the Anchorage Farmers Market. They also will have cut flowers including sunflowers and zinnias.

Vendors scheduled at the market this week include Arctic Organics, Bushes Bunches, Seldovitsch Family Farm, Johnny Moose Farm, L&R Greenhouses, Stockwell Farm, Vanderweele Farm, Hett's Peas, Sun Fire Farms, Turkey Red Cafe, Northern Lights Oysters and the Matanuska Creamery. Those vendors will bring with them tomatoes, shelled peas, fresh rustic breads and baked goods, cheddar cheese, ice cream, rock cod, halibut, jams and jellies.

Pick your own

If you're in the mood to turn farmer for a day, visit Pyrah's Pioneer Peak u-pick vegetable farm at Mile 3 Bodenberg Loop road outside Palmer for a great selection and great prices.

Katie Pyrah says the farm's prices are about half what local grocers charge. The farm accepts WIC and Senior WIC coupons. And the selection includes iceberg, romaine and red and green leaf lettuces; collards; kale; spinach; cabbage; radishes; kohlrabi; broccoli; snow peas and shelling peas; zucchini; and strawberries.

For more information, call 907-745-4511 or visit www.pppfarm.net.

Visit the markets

Wednesday: South Anchorage Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., south side of the Dimond Center; Wednesday Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Northway Mall parking lot; Wasilla Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., behind the Wasilla Public Library.

Friday: Friday Fling, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., pavilion across from the Visitor's Center in Palmer.

Saturday: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 15 th Avenue and Cordova Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Subway/Cellular One Sports Center at the corner of Old Seward Highway and O'Malley Road; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., University Center mall; Eagle River Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Business Boulevard and Old Glenn Highway.

Sunday: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets.

Tuesday: Eagle River Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., Eagle River VFW Post parking lot.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. If you have a suggestion for a future Market Fresh column, please contact him at sedwards@adn.com.

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