July 7th – 12th
Did you know that there is a farmers market FIVE days a week in Fairbanks in the summertime?
I was so excited that I drove up from Anchorage, with my 9 year-old Zoe as roadtrip sidekick, for the week to experience it. By day, we were Farm Camp volunteers at Calypso Farm & Ecology Center (thank you Farm Camp team for an awesome week together), and by afternoon we were farmers market goers culminating in a 10-hour Saturday shadowing Brad- AFMA Board President- at his Tanana Valley Farmers Market (separate blog post for the inspiring play-by-play).
First up, Southside Community Farmers Market on Tuesday. This is a market whose neighborhood ownership and food access focus I had been talking up since I started in my role, and it exceeded even my high expectations. In addition to soaking up the beautiful produce, fresh fish, and sourdough for sale, Zoe and I joined the community meal, checked out library books from the bookmobile, basked in the sunshine (and quick thunderstorm) in the children’s museum play area, and ran into friends including Katie Hezner of the Intertribal Agriculture Council collecting her weekly flower CSA share. The Meal at the Market was something to behold- it was neighborhood bbq day with an offering of pork, chicken, or mushrooms and all kinds of fixings from the market as side dishes. Over 400 people were served dinner, and the conversations we joined and overheard were as nourishing as the delicious food. Members of the neighborhood steering committee staffed the welcome tent, SNAP dollars were doubled, WIC and Seniors benefits were provided, no-barrier market discounts from Calypso grants were offered, and extra produce at the end of the market went to the food bank whose volunteer chef cooked the community meal. Truly beautiful to behold!
Next up, Tanana Valley Farmers Market on Wednesday (and also on Saturday). As the longest-standing market in Alaska (celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023), the market is open on Wednesdays 11-4 and Saturdays 9-4 with upwards of 90 vendors. With everything from Chef at the Market cooking demonstrations, to SNAP authorization so farmers don’t have to manage the program themselves, to a bank of hot food vendors complete with a beautiful birch forest of picnic tables to enjoy your meal that Zoe called magical, it was awesome! Brad runs the market as joyfully and energetically as I could imagine- greeting vendors and customers by name, familiar with all produce at the market (he’s a farmer from the beautiful Goosefoot farm himself), and checking that everyone has everything they need for a great market day every day. Vendors drive from as far as Delta Junction (two hours away) to sell at the market and watching them prepare their tents (after waking before 5am) to be ready by opening bell was inspiring. TVFM has a special summer children’s market, a jury for new vendors so that everything from baked goods to art is top quality, and a model of 10% vendor profit supporting the market that makes it truly sustainable. The market is bustling with good cheer, literally thousands of customers, and- for Zoe and me- the first tomatoes and strawberries of the season (Zoe’s words for the strawberries- heavenly). Tanana Valley Farmers Market is unlike anything I have seen in Alaska or beyond, amazing!
On Friday, we were on to Santa’s Friday Night Market in North Pole. The market is operated out of the North Pole Welcome Center and was full of vendors from right nearby- including a Safeway clerk who walks across the parking lot after her shift to help sell her daughter-in-law’s art at the market. My favorite thing about the market was the range of ages of the farmers- from children (we counted 5 booths with kids leading the way) to seniors (North Pole Peonies farmer was there with her squash, zucchini, and flowers). Because the market is under a single large red tent, there was lots of time for the farmers to spend together and learn from each other. With the concern in America about where our next generation of farmers will come from and how they will learn, it was lovely to see the young farmers alongside the elders. Zoe’s favorite thing about the market was the animals for sale (some of which she got to hold!)- from meat rabbits and chickens to worms in a vermiculture display. There were free books for kids, eggs a-plenty (duck, quail, and chicken), beautiful peonies, and lovely produce. I left munching on a fresh dill pickle while Zoe held on to her banana bread tight for next morning’s breakfast. And the Christmas in July feeling of the market will make for fun memories to share at our family Christmas tree farm in Kentucky when we go home for a brief farm season this winter.
Saturday, it was back to Tanana Valley Farmers Market to enjoy the whole day shadowing Brad (see blog post). On Sunday, we wrapped up our Fairbanks market week at the Goldstream Community Market which operates YEAR-ROUND (weekly in the summer and every other Sunday in the winter- what a gift). Supported by the Lions Club, it has an indoor building (the summer market is both inside and outside), an extraordinary community garden, and a perfect park setting complete with playground, baseball field, and gazebo for musicians. We saw a few familiar vendors from throughout our week, Zoe had more fun with animals (the local animal shelter had a dog adoption stand), and we chatted with two farmers selling at the market for the first time this year. Market Manager Jessica talked of the late spring in Fairbanks resulting in later produce than usual (a theme we heard repeated all week) and a smaller turn-out than in years past from her vendors and musicians. She’s not sure why that would be, and while I am not sure either, that is the sort of puzzle AFMA exists to support- what barriers can we help remove for farmers and customers both so that markets continue to thrive and so that Alaskans can feed Alaska. Jessica and I made a date to talk more about it this fall. Zoe and I left with kale, honeyberries, and brownies for the drive home (no puppy this time).
One thing I saw at every market we visited- advertisements for the OTHER markets!
The Fairbanks markets are really working together to get the word out to support their community and help every market day in Fairbanks be a success. They held meetings this winter to deepen connections with one another, including one for area vendors about how to sell at each of the markets. That kind of collaboration lifts the tide of access to fresh, local food for all in Fairbanks and is such a lovely example for other parts of the state.
Thank you Fairbanks!