Growing where a parking lot used to be, it’s harvest time at the farm in Mountain View

Prem Niroula and Bhai Subba, both Bhutanese refugees, tended a produce stand at the Grow North Farm in Mountain View on Sunday, Aug. 23. The two grew all the produce for sale on their respective tables.

Subba, who moved to Anchorage in 2009, said she enjoys “working outside at the farm, but it’s very hard work.”

The 28,000 square foot farm, a project of Anchorage Community Land Trust, is located on an old parking lot along Mountain View Drive. In its second farming season, over 20 people from Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, South Sudan, Congo, Mexico and Somalia had the opportunity to grow food there and learn business skills.

Niroula said he used to be a farmer and had 10 acres of land in Bhutan before moving to Anchorage in 2011. Niroula marveled at how large the produce was last season during the record breaking heat. “This summer has been colder,” Niroula said.

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