Food and Drink

Pumpkins, carrots and other late-season crops are headed to farmers markets this week

Now that autumn is officially here, more local farmers markets are dropping like leaves. And one is experiencing a brief resurrection.

First, the resurrection.

The Muldoon Farmers Market planned to end its season last Saturday. But there was a quick change, and the market will be open this Saturday too.

"By request of our farmers, gardeners and customers, the Muldoon Farmers Market has extended to the end of the month," says market organizer Carla McConnell. "We will be open to give our customers one more week to stock up on fall vegetables. Hope to see everyone there for our final, final week!"

McConnell says to look for vendors with potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots and other fall crops. Other items include vegan breads, jams and jellies, caramel corn and crafts.

Some of the markets closing down for the season include the Wednesday South Anchorage Farmers Market at the Dimond Center, the Peters Creek market on Thursdays, the Homer Farmers Markets and Saturday's Spenard Farmers Market.

Spenard Farmers Market

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Market Manager Andrea Trent says to expect 15 vendors at the final market. Vendors include Dinkel's Veggies, Alaska Seeds of Change, Chugach Farms, Four Tern Farm, the Ba-Lescas Brothers, Wild Rose Natural Harvests and the Persistent Farmer with cut dahlias.

"Chugach Farms will have some tantalizing additions to their product list including kimchi, kombucha, fall turmeric sauerkraut and rhubarb-rosemary-cranberry sauerkraut," Trent says. "You'll also find their homemade salts and vinegars."

South Anchorage Farmers Market

The Wednesday market will feature Earthworks farm, Far North Fungi, Stockwell Farm, Glacier Valley Farm and Bradley Farm.

On Saturday, the market will feature tons of produce.

"It was a very good August for honey producer Martin Hruby of Honeybucket Ranch in Tok, so he is returning with lots of superb clear honey from up north," Barb Landi says. "Also, John Dart returns from Manley with his truckload of Alaska-grown pumpkins and winter squash.

"As September comes to a close, we see less salad crops and more long-season crops like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, parsnips and winter squash."

Some vendor highlights include: silver salmon, rockfish, halibut and oysters from Arctic Choice; loads of veggies from Rempel Family Farm, including leeks this week; Farm 779 with fermented foods, coconut kefirs, snacks and body products.

Anchorage Farmers Market

Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics and market organizer is praising the good weather. "The extended fall season is a dream for farmers!

"Still free of a hard frost; the variety of veggies is still abundant," she says. "We're able to keep harvesting some of the tender leafy crops, while successfully bringing into storage many of the late-season cabbages and roots crops."

Lots of potatoes at this Saturday's market, including Yukon gold, magic Molly purple, magic Myrna fingerlings, Desirée pink, German butterball, yellow Finn and red French fingerling. Other produce includes Brussels sprouts, carrots, three colors of beets, celery, onions, leeks, scallions, spinach, four types of kale, Rainbow chard, collards and herbs.

Other vendors scheduled this week include Ed & Tina's Krauts & Pickles, Happy Valley Chickens' eggs, Mom's Garden, Persistent Farmer, Seldovitsch Farm, Stockwell Farm, Sun Fire Ridge, Turkey Red Café breads and treats, Vang Family Farm and VanderWeele Farm.

Center Market

Alex Davis says it's the time of the year when "we are burning the candle at both ends to get all the storage crops up, so we can feed you and your family all winter long." This week, the focus is on potatoes and then on to carrots, beets and cabbage.

At the market, Davis will have red and green cabbage, cucumbers, kohlrabi, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, salad mix, collards, kale, strawberries, carrots, potatoes, spaghetti squash and acorn squash. His pork products include pork chops, ham steak, chorizo, fresh side sliced, ground pork, Italian sausage, fat and hocks. Davis also has eggs and products from Tonia's Biscotti,
Evie's Brinery, Mosquito Mama, Alaska Flour Co. and Alaska Sprouts.

Thankful Thursdays

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Duane Clark will have a true taste of fall with apples, carrots, beets, potatoes and kale. He also has items from Alaska Sprouts, along with honey, salsa, jams, beef and yak.

Julie Meer says Farm 779 will be fully stocked with vegan, gluten-free snacks and cookies, along with three varieties of coconut kefir, kefir dips, locally sourced krauts and blends, kvass and kombucha.

Northway Mall Wednesday Market

Dinkel's Veggies will be at the Northway Mall with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet onions, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

Local farmers markets

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.; Northway Mall Wednesday Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Northway Mall; South Anchorage Wednesday Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., near Dimond Center Hotel

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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; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks; Wasilla Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Iditapark

Thursday in Anchorage: 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., 333 W. Fourth Ave.

Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; 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., 333 W. Fourth Ave.; 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; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks

Sunday in Anchorage: Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.

Sunday outside of Anchorage: Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks

Steve Edwards

Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. He writes the Market Fresh column weekly and can be reached akmarketfresh@gmail.com.

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