No doubt you've noticed the particularly cold, wet, dreary summer we've been having. Recognizing too, that starting a farmers market tradition takes time to catch hold, we have a question for you:
Should we open up the market to produce from other communities around Alaska?
Post your response here!
Either way, the Farmers Market is shaping up to be a great event, so don't miss it! Remember to save Saturday August 30th.
Offerings will include:
Individuals selling locally grown and harvested foods and products
Local Businesses showcasing their locally produced foods and garden products
Non-Profits Organizations offering garden products and baked goods with local fruits
Door Prizes
Informational tables on gardening and harvesting resources
Presentations and Demonstrations!
Backyard Greenhouse Construction (Art Chance)
Local Edible and Medicinal Plants (Carol Biggs)
Dressing Wild Fish and Game (Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game)
Local Resources for Gardeners (Ed Buyarski)
Edible Bulbs: Growing Garlic and Onions (Joe Orsi)
How to Make Your own Cheese (Missy McMillan)
Using Flowers for Vinegar Flavoring (Sonja Koukel, UAF Cooperative Extension Service)
2 comments:
This is slightly off topic, but Sitka will have three farmer's markets in August, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 16, 23 and 30 at ANB Hall and the adjoining parking lot. Linda Wilson, 747-3096, is the main contact and we're emphasizing local food and craft products from the Sitka area and Southeast Alaska. For more information, go to http://www.sitkahealthsummit.org/Market.html.
As a part of these first steps towards developing sustainability and local food security for Juneau, I think that the Juneau Farmers Market should not include produce from around the state. The farmer's market is meant to showcase Juneau producers and promote local food production around the city. Anchorage and Fairbanks have producers who have been very successful with organic/sustainable agriculture; however, we in Juneau want to support growers and producers in Juneau. While it is more ecologically-friendly to choose Alaskan produce over produce from Florida or Chile, Alaska is still a large state where food from Anchorage or Fairbanks would still have to travel long distances by air in order to get to Juneau. In the event of a crisis, Southeast Alaska's food security should not need to depend on Southcentral Alaska. Along the same lines, the Juneau farmer's market should not need to depend on produce from other parts of the state in order to make it a great event. As the first farmer's market for Juneau, it is important to set good precedents and encourage the Juneau community to participate and celebrate the efforts of the local gardeners and producers, no matter how small we are starting. The hope is that this first farmer's market stimulates the interest and participation of people of all ages in Juneau to produce their own food, and to be involved in improving quality of life in Juneau by promoting food security and long-term sustainbility.
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