Food and Drink

The first frost is great news for Alaska vegetable flavor

Local farmers are using the farmer's "F" word—frost!

For some, it means it's time to move quickly. For others, it means time for extra-tasty vegetables.

"We finally had our first real frost this morning," says Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics and the Anchorage Farmers Market. "It was enough to put the fire under us to get the non-leafy veggies out of the field. We'll be working on that all week and will bring the results to market this weekend."

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For Alex Davis of AD Farm and the thrice-weekly Center Market, he's thinking about the benefits of a good frost: "We had our first frost. That means we will have Brussels sprouts, from now until we run out some time around Thanksgiving. Our big cabbage is ready for making kraut."

Anchorage Farmers Market

Bean says Arctic Organics will have plenty of potato options, including Yukon gold, magic Myrna, yellow Finn, huckleberry, desirée, red French fingerling and mini mix. Other options include apples, Brussels sprouts, carrots, beets, cabbage, celery, leeks, onions, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli shoots, cauliflower, turnips, kohlrabi, lettuce, arugula, sorrel, collards, kale, herbs and other items.

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Rob Wells, The Persistent Farmer, will be at the market with bunches of dahlia blooms. In fact, Wells is changing the name of his business to Hatcher Pass Dahlias at the end of October to better reflect his focus.

"The dahlias continue to shine, even as the hours of daylight lessen," Wells says.

Wells is also taking order for corn stalks for fall decorating.

Other vendors include Brown Dog Farm, Happy Valley Chickens' eggs, Mom's Garden, Seldovitsch Farm, Stockwell Farm, Sun Fire Ridge, Turkey Red Café breads and treats, VanderWeele Farm and Vang Family Garden.

Center Market

Davis will have veggies, pork cuts and other items at the market, in addition to the Brussels sprouts.

Veggies include orange, purple and icicle carrots; salad mix; kale; kohlrabi; snow peas; red and green romaine lettuce; cabbage; potatoes; zucchini; rhubarb; and other items. Pork cuts include chops, loin roast, fresh side sliced, ground pork, Italian sausage, roast, bone, fat and hocks.

Davis will also have eggs, raspberry jam, pumpkin butter, apple butter, honey, dog treats and whole chickens. Other market items include Alaska Sprouts, Alaska Flour Co., Windy River Farm grass-fed beef, Tonia's Biscotti, Evie's Brinery, Caprecio Specialties spices and mushrooms, and Fat Corgi Confections.

South Anchorage Farmers Market

The South Anchorage market season comes to a close on Saturday.

"All fresh products will be on hand in great quantity, especially for those who want to stock up on potatoes and carrots for winter storage," Barbara Landi says. "More Brussels sprouts, winter squash and pumpkins!"

Rempel Family Farm will have a wide variety of veggies, along with yak meat, at the market. Veggies include carrots, sugar pumpkins, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, herbs and other items.

Daisy Nicolas of Drool Central will be at the final market of the season with dog treats. She will have hand-out treats for dogs that can do basic commands.

Thankful Thursdays

Busy making hay, late input. Grass fed beef, honey, salsa, tomatoes, onions, kale, carrots, potatoes, birch syrup.

The lineup at Thankful Thursdays includes Farm 779, Duane Clark, Elderberry Essentials and Harvest Point Farms.

Harvest Point's fresh veggies include microgreens, lettuce, carrots, corn stalks, pumpkins and more.  Clark will have grass-fed beef,honey, salsa, tomatoes, onions, kale, carrots, potatoes, birch syrup. Elderberry Essentials will be there with all things elderberry, and Farm 779 will feature coconut kefirs, old world style ferments and dog foods.

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Northway Mall Wednesday Market

Dinkel's Veggies will be at the Northway Mall on Wednesday, and at Wasilla Lake on both Wednesday and Saturday. Veggies include carrots, cabbage, limited green and yellow zucchini, broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet onions, cauliflower and pumpkins.


Local farmers markets

Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Midtown Mall, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Northway Mall Wednesday Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Northway Mall

Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Midtown Mall, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

Thursday outside of Anchorage: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m., 21426 Old Glenn Highway, Chugiak

Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Midtown Mall, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street

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., Midtown Mall, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Center

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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