Tuesday, September 1, 2026
The UMED District is the second-largest employment hub in the Municipality of Anchorage, bringing together organizations like the University of Alaska Anchorage, Providence Alaska, Alaska Pacific University, and many other businesses to the University Medical district (UMED).
Thanks to Darcy Moxon, Providence’s Sustainability Program Manager, now there is a UMED Farmers Market! The market is a pop-up affair, now in its third season, celebrating the return of students and embracing the abundance of harvest season. It is hosted in the vast parking lot of the Alaska Airlines Center VIP Parking Lot. Bonus for that location- when it rained on 1 of the 4 Tuesdays the market was open this season, the market went inside.
Dates this year were August 11th (Explore Our Community), 18th (Sustain Our Community), 25th (Feed Our Community), and September 1st (Reimagine Our Community).
When I visited on the sunny September 1st Tuesday, I was struck by the line of Providence employees happily waiting to select their two free market goodies (part of a wellness and sustainability program run by Providence), the volunteers in blue vests handing out those farm goodies from the Fresh International Gardens and APU’s Spring Creek Farm, and the UAA tent greeter who warmly welcomed me. I met Ed, the Honey Duck Farms farmer who is also a Providence employee, who is planning to sell his duck eggs and mushrooms in the fall and winter this year.
I can’t wait to work more with Darcy ahead of next season on the tremendous potential this market has. Recruiting more farmers will be key (there were 3 the day I went) and diving into the Providence Climate Action Plan which includes their goal to “reach toward carbon negative by 2030.” Incorporating more local food purchasing is a piece of that plan, and this pop-up market is Darcy’s vision to bring the connection to local food out of the cafeteria line and into community space. You’ll notice Darcy’s shirt says We Act from the Climate Action Plan and the “A” is for agriculture.
The first year of the UMED Farmers Market it was just 1 day. This year it was 4 days. And Darcy and I immediately started talking about the potential of having markets well into the Fall next year. What a nice place for farmers wrapping up at other markets, to bring the bounty of harvest season, to a spot where thousands of Anchorage employees could easily walk over after work on Tuesdays. I’ll invite Darcy to our meeting this fall of all Anchorage farmers markets managers as we think together about engaging more of Anchorage’s customers in supporting local farms and vibrant farmers markets next year.
Coming home from the market with beautiful carrots in hand, my 10-year old said “why are the carrots from the farmers markets SO much better than the ones from the grocery store? Look, these carrots just GLOW.” I asked if I could share that lovely sentiment here and she agreed.
So here’s hoping every kid in Anchorage, and across Alaska, can snack on a GLOWING CARROT before this lovely season ends. Remember SNAP dollars are doubled and WIC/Seniors benefits are accepted- see the list of which markets here.
