The Anchorage Farmers Market opens for the season at 9 a.m. Saturday at 15th Avenue and Cordova Street. But don't expect to see a whole lot of fresh stuff, except for seedlings.
"In the spring, it's pretty much garden starts," said Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics.
However, she will have a limited amount of greenhouse-grown arugula and basil.
The emphasis is on "limited," as Bean won't allow the first few customers to buy out the whole stock. Still, if you're dreaming of pesto you'd better be there early.
You can also get hanging baskets planted with flowers or herbs, and starts of veggies like broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, chard, kale, zucchini and tomatoes. Oh, those tomatoes: for the greenhouse, there's Sungold, Sweet 100 and Celebrity (a beefsteak fruit); for outdoor planting, check out Glacier, Sub-Arctic Plenty (developed in Fairbanks) and eight Siberian varieties, none of which need cold frames.
Want a head start on your tomatoes (or as they're known in French: pommes) d'amour — love apples)? Arctic Organics will have some "half-grown" tomato plants that should produce fruit outdoors even if it's a less-than-super summer.
Also available at the Anchorage Farmers Market are dahlia starts and other plants from Rob Wells, aka "The Persistent Farmer." He'll be taking deposits for dahlias to be delivered later in May, once the danger of frost is over, for late-summer showiness. Wells will also have half a dozen types of Alaska-grown seed potatoes, including Magic Molly and White Rose.
The market is open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday.
8 years of farm-to-table
This week marks the 416th week in a row of AD Farms making local farm products available to Alaskans. To celebrate, Alex Davis is running a special at the Center Market at The Mall at Sears through the month of May: 5 pounds of country ribs for the price of 4, while supplies last.
Nothing dainty about these porcine delights. Think "pork belly attached," rather than chain-restaurant standard ribs.
"There is meat on these bones," Davis said.
Ribs aren't the only pork products on sale, though. Choose from among ground pork, loin roast, pork chops, bratwurst, fresh side-sliced and slab pork, hocks, pigs' feet, bones for making broth, fat for rendering, and Italian, spicy and breakfast sausages. Or don't choose: You can order a custom 40-pound box, or reserve a half or whole hog from the spring butchering.
Also available from AD Farms are eggs from chickens raised on corn- and soy-free feed, and a limited number of duck eggs.
Tonia's Biscotti will sell tantalizing flavors of the crunchy cookies, including Mandarin orange, peppermint and chocolate. Evie's Brinery features products like kimchi, spicy kale, lemon dill kraut and ginger-citrus carrots.
Among the other treats for sale at the Center Market: local honey, grass-fed beef, Mosquito Mama's balsamic vinegar, Squeal dog treats, purple carrots, barley products, potatoes (Yukon Gold, German Butterball, Magic Molly, Fiesta), sprouts, microgreens, tofu and basil.
Wednesday and Saturday at the Center Market, Monica's Confection Connection will be on hand to satisfy your sweet tooth. Expect to see gummy candies, regular and salted caramels, gourmet brittles and fudge in flavors such as mint chocolate, root beer and chocolate walnut.
On Wednesday only at Center Market, Alaska Seeds of Change will be selling fresh greens, including bok choi, Siberian kale and butter crunch lettuce. Also available are fresh chives, chervil and dill, and a selection of greens for juicing.
The "Thankful Thursday" market at The Mall at Sears (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) will include more than a dozen unique jams from Three Bears Farm, along with breads, pies, birch and berry syrups, sprouts, and chicken and duck eggs from Non Essentials. Also available: grass-fed beef and yak, salsa, zucchini relish, seafood (including scallops and black cod fillets), and "Clear Alaskan" glacier water bottled from Eklutna Glacier.
Thursday also brings health-focused foods from Farm 779: two types of double-fermented kombucha, four kinds of coconut kefir, salt-brine krauts and blends (including kimchi), and vegan and gluten-free breads, cookies and snacks. In addition, the company will sell body butter and other items made with bee products from its own apiary.
Want to grow your own salads? Farm 779 will bring lettuce and orange and purple cherry tomato starts to the mall. The sight of ready-to-plant greenery is definitely something for which Alaskans are thankful. Just don't put them out too early.
Contact Market Fresh akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Farmers markets this week:
Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 610 S. Valley Way, Palmer
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street. Also: Anchorage Farmers Market, 15th Avenue and Cordova Street, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.