This is a day I have been waiting for since I started my job at AFMA last fall- opening day at the Muldoon Community Farmers Market!
Did you know….retired US Army Veteran and current volunteer Market Manager Jude Metoyer’s mother Selina was a founding member of the market in 2025 during her time on the Northeast Community Council? And that Jude has a grant from Leadership Anchorage to elevate the market? He sees it as ‘boots on the ground’ work to bring more fresh food and community gatherings to his home. That’s why the market name has added the word Community this season.
Did you know….that the Muldoon Community Farmers Market is in the Chanshtnu Muldoon Park? That means a playground, a dog park, and a food forest surround the lovely market with a path to the Muldoon branch of the Alaska Public Library extending one way, a bridge across a stream extending another way, and a pavilion for the wonderful musicians in the background. It is hard to imagine a lovelier setting for a farmers market.
My daughter Zoe and I were so happy to spend our Saturday afternoon there- with Jude and Selina, with artist Vonnie, also a founding member of the market, with Lina selling beaded jewelry, and Jim selling vegan sweet bread. Along with buying something from all of them (I think of my AFMA salary as market bucks), we bought kimchi from Seoul of Alaska vendor on her first-ever day of a farmers market booth which her daughter exclaimed is “my mom’s dream come true.” Despite the rain, Zoe leaned over to me and said more than once “this is fun!”
Speaking of rain, it seemed to keep the farmers away, so that an otherwise lovely opening day was without produce. Jude and I exchanged a few quick lines about it saying- we’ve got to help farmers get back to the markets. Before covid, Jude shared that 40 vendors surrounded the market loop but just 15 came back from the pandemic and only a handful are farmers. True that there are a lot of competing markets on a Saturday in Anchorage, but I am hoping that part of my AFMA role can be to help customers do their part and shop at the farmers markets.
For those customers who can afford fresh food, I think it is a matter of organizing our food shopping around getting to the farmers markets first (and heading to Freddy’s for our oranges and bananas after). And for those who need discounts, AFMA doubles SNAP dollars and provides WIC and Seniors benefits. If we find funding for Farm to Food Banks programs, we can buy anything farmers have left at the end of the day for donation and remove the burden of overharvest for them (so many of Alaska’s farmers living at the margins and working so hard).
What I mean is that it takes everyone- markets, farmers, and customers- to believe that it is worth it. A world where Alaskans feed Alaska, at farmers markets full of community connection, delicious fresh food, and happy kids- is a world I appreciate deeply.
So…here’s to sunshine next weekend for Jude and the farmers signed up for the Muldoon Community Farmers Market!
And here’s to the last slots for produce booths at the market filling up when folks find out how much work is going into the Muldoon market this season.
And here’s to Zoe telling her friends that going with your mom to the market on a rainy Saturday is beautiful- from Vonnie’s painting on her nightstand to Jim’s bread in her belly.
And here’s to a thriving season in Muldoon!
