Whether it's fresh seafood for Father's Day or a fresh farmers market to check out, it's a busy week all around Alaska.
The APU Farmers Market joins the growing list of markets this week. The APU market is opening 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. This week the market is highlighting a seedling sale.
Seafood for dad … and everyone
"With Father's Day this weekend, what better way to celebrate dad then fresh fish on the grill?" asks Dannon Southall of 10th & M Seafoods. "We will have a plenty of fresh fish to grace your grill tops."
Southall says fresh halibut is plentiful, with fresh headed and cleaned 10-to-20-pound fish available for $9.25 per pound. Other options include fresh halibut cheeks, cod and rockfish fillets.
"Fresh salmon are starting to show up across the state just in time to enjoy with dad," Southall says. "Both fresh kings and sockeyes, headed and cleaned, and fillets will be available. And Prince William Sound shrimp season is going strong."
Farmers Market at Airport Heights
The market is part of the mission of the Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop owners.
"This market was started as a way to further our commitment to building safe, walkable, thriving neighborhoods that are a joy to live in and visit," says Jason Croft. "This really is a core tenant of our business philosophy and the Airport Heights neighborhood has been very supportive of having a weekly market to come to for groceries, flowers and ice cream!
"This is our second year and we are adding more fundraisers to our summer market season this year. We plan to host about two fundraisers per month to support our favorite Alaska non-profits through craft beer sales at the market. The next one is June 20th."
Farm 779 is joining the growing lineup of vendors at the market with ferments, kombucha and kvass. Other vendors include Wild Scoops, Alaska Pasta Co., Turnstone Farm, Wild Child Salsa, Far North Fungi, Beach Tribe Soda, Arctic Choice, Seeds of Change and Heather's Choice.
South Anchorage Farmers Market
As summer progresses, the market continues to grow. Arthur Keyes says several vendors rejoined the market last week, including Zoi Food 4 Life, M and M Farm, Sun Circle Farm and VanderWeele Farms.
"The big news of the day was the return of VanderWeele Farms with their super sweet Alaska Grown strawberries," Keyes says. "Nothing says summer like fresh Alaska Grown strawberries and these strawberries were no exception, incredible flavor! There were lots of berries on Saturday, but they still sold out in a hurry, so if you want the spectacular taste of these strawberries you will need to come early on Saturday."
Other market highlights include:
· Mark Rempel of Rempel Family Farm says they will be back at the market this week and will have fresh radishes and spinach.
· Arctic Choice Seafoods will have Prince William Sound side stripe shrimp, king salmon fillets from Anita Bay, oysters from Karheen Passage and fresh halibut and rockfish fillets.
· Alaska Seeds of Change will have a nice selection of fresh greens and herbs, including lettuce, rainbow chard, dill, chives, mint and basil.
Spenard Farmers Market
As is the case at most markets, as crops are sprouting, more vendors are showing up.
Mark Butler says to look for Chugach Farms with organic snow apple turnips, celery, broccoli, Napa cabbage and mixed greens; 2nd Act Gardens with perennials, flowers, strawberries and raspberries; Arctic Chicken Coops taking orders for customized chicken coops and greenhouses; Four Tern Farms with field greens and grass-fed beef; and Wildrose Harvest with herb starts and honey.
Anchorage Farmers Market
Sarah Bean of Arctic Organics says "it's shoulder season at the market—that period between gardening and the harvest. Just as everyone who has just finished putting in their gardens, we farmers now have to be patient for our crops to grow."
That means the list of produce at this week's market looks a lot like last week's list. But "the lettuce is graduating from greenhouse grown to having grown in the cold frame in full heads."
Also look for arugula, scallions, rhubarb and fresh basil. Arctic Organics will have tomato plants and blooming hanging baskets, along with fertilizer blends.
Rob Wells, The Persistent Farmer, will be one of the other vendors at the market. He will have dahlia starts. "It's not too late to put them in containers and in the garden for late summer blooms," he says.
Center Market
Alex Davis of AD Farm says new to the lineup at the thrice-weekly market this week is spruce tip jam, current jam, apple butter and apple jelly "to make our excellent pork even better."
The pork includes cuts of Davis' pasture-raised animals, including chops, loin roast, ground pork, fresh side, sausages, ribs and roast. Davis also has a variety of eggs and some storage crops.
Thankful Thursday market
The Thursday market is a great place to pick up dog treats, birch syrup, pasta, beef, fermented foods and other treats.
Duane Clark is restocked with locally produced yak. He also has honey, jams, salsa, grass fed beef, Alaska halibut and scallops, birch syrup, Rosie's Pasta items, Denali Dog Treats and raw dog food.
Farm 779's Julie Meer says this week it's "all about keto madness," including coconut kefirs, krauts, ketogenic cookie, coconut bacon, kvass and kombucha. Elderberry Essentials will also be at the market.
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Wednesday in Anchorage: APU Farmers Market, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 4225 University Drive; Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Farmers Market at Airport Heights, 3-7 p.m., 2530 E. 16th Ave.;
Wednesday outside of Anchorage: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., Ocean Drive; Soldotna Wednesday Market, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Soldotna Creek Park; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks; Wasilla Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Iditapark
Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Thursday outside of Anchorage: Peters Creek Farmers Market, 3-8 p.m., American Legion Post 33
Friday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.
Saturday in Anchorage: Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 15th Avenue and Cordova Street; Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.; South Anchorage Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., O'Malley Sports Center; Spenard Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 2555 Spenard Road
Saturday outside of Anchorage: Highway's End Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Junction; Homer Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Ocean Drive; Kenai Saturday Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center; Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., East Corral Avenue and Kenai Spur Highway; Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks
Sunday in Anchorage: Anchorage Market and Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Third Avenue between C and E streets; Fourth Avenue Indoor Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 333 W. Fourth Ave.
Sunday outside of Anchorage: Tanana Valley Farmer's Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 2600 College Road, Fairbanks