As we move directly into "official" summer, the popular Muldoon Farmers Market joins the seemingly endless array of farmers markets.
The Muldoon market is open 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays at Begich Middle School, 7440 Creekside Drive.
"We have nine farms bringing produce on opening day with early-season vegetables and greens, plus cooked food, food trucks, treats and lots of Alaska crafts and live music," says market spokesperson Jerrianne Lowther.
Around 40 vendors are lined up to open season three of the Muldoon market. Vendors include Arctic Wonder Marketplace, Ba-Lescas Brothers, Dinkel's Veggies, Fresh International Gardens, Northland Orchards, Subba Garden, Vang Family Garden, The Shrimp Guy, Breads by Jim, Catherine's Cupcakes, Napoliello's Alaska Ices, A Slice of Heaven, Kehmuel's Catering, Yomama's Salsasoul Kitchen, Uncle LeRoy's Coffee, Steele Grillz BBQ Sauce, The Pipe Cleaner Master and The Puppet Lady.
Anchorage Farmers Market
Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics is preaching patience. Lots of patience with this year's weather.
"The cold spring soils of May are giving us a good test of patience this June, as we wait for the crops to mature out in the field," she says. "This year in no way resembles the early warm spring we had last year, when we were already into harvests of the second and third succession plantings of some veggies by this time! Shoppers will have to keep the faith ― the crops will come, just a little later than they did last year."
Arctic Organics will have some fresh veggies at this week's market, including various leaf lettuces, baby arugula, greens mix, scallions, chives and pac choi.
Other vendors at the market include: Brown Dog Farm, Ed & Tina's Krauts & Pickles, Fee's Seafood, Happy Valley Chickens' eggs, Mom's Garden, Persistent Farmer, Seldovitsch Farm, Stockwell Farm, Sun Fire Ridge, Turkey Red Café breads and treats, and VanderWeele Farm.
Spenard Farmers Market
Over 30 vendors are scheduled for this Saturday's Spenard Farmers Market. Market manager Andrea Trent says the market will host the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Beans Café and the Children's Lunchbox as nonprofit vendors.
"Our color scheme this Saturday will be green because we'll have an unlimited supply of fresh greens and veggies from Brown Dog Farm, the Ba-Lescas Brothers, Chugach Farm, Simple Living Farm, Midnight Sun Farm, Alaska Seeds of Change, Glacier Valley Gardens and Four Tern Farms," Trent says.
Some of the popular market items include eggs, mixed greens, spinach, arugula, green onions, rhubarb, pac choi, sorrel, radishes, snow apple turnips, probiotic ferments, krauts, kimchi, kombucha, garlic and herb salt.
South Anchorage Farmers Market
The South Anchorage market is continuing to share the market space with the carnival, and market organizer Arthur Keyes says that last week the "rides were a hit with the kids. One customer I visited with said it reminded him of the Iowa State fair."
Rise & Shine Bakery is back at the market this week after some time away. Some vendor highlights include Arctic Choice with fresh large oysters out of Simpson Bay, fresh side stripe shrimp out of Prince William Sound, king salmon fillets from Fire Island and Copper River sockeye salmon; Rempel Family Farm will have snow apple turnips, spinach, arugula, bok choi, cress, mustard, mint, salad mix, purple carrots, green cabbage, mizuna, tatsoi, green mustard, potatoes and parsnips.
Thankful Thursdays
Looking for an indoor midweek market? Thankful Thursdays may be just the ticket.
Farm 779 will be at the market that owner Julie Meer calls "our home market, year 'round. We are always fully stocked at this location. A little slower pace for our customers who like to chat a bit about the science behind fermentation. Plenty of parking at this indoors marketplace."
Meer says she will have kimchi, beet and carrot kvass, ginger and ginger turmeric kombucha, coconut kefirs, citrus ferments and the return of "Awesome Sauce," a probiotic dipping sauce. The Farm 779 booth also has a variety of body products.
Duane Clark will have grass-fed beef and yak, salsa, honey, jams and potted herbs.
Center Market
Alex Davis will be at the market with a full lineup of pork cuts, including thick-cut pork chops, ham steak, chorizo, ribs, roast and others. He also has chicken, duck and goose eggs; potatoes; raspberry jam; and products from Alaska Flour Co., Alaska Sprouts, Tonia's Biscotti and Evie's Brinery.
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-7 p.m., Palmer Depot
Tuesday outside of Anchorage: Eagle River Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., Eagle River VFW Post; Farmers Fresh Market, 3-6 p.m., 33955 Community College Drive, Soldotna
Wednesday in Anchorage: APU Farmers Market, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 4225 University Drive; Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Farmers Market at Airport Heights, 3-7 p.m., 2530 E. 16th Ave.
Wednesday outside of Anchorage: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., Ocean Drive; Soldotna Wednesday Market, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Soldotna Creek Park; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks
Thursday in Anchorage: Mountain View Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., 3543 Mountain View Drive; Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Thursday outside of Anchorage: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-8 p.m., American Legion Post 33
Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 33 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 200
Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 33 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 200; Muldoon Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Begich Middle School; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Center; Spenard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 2555 Spenard Road
Saturday outside of Anchorage: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Ocean Drive; Kenai's Saturday Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenai Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center; Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., East Corral Avenue and Kenai Spur Highway; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks
Sunday in Anchorage: Anchorage Market & Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 33 W. Fourth Ave., Suite 200
Sunday outside of Anchorage: Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road