The celebration of Alaska agriculture continues

Alaska Division of Agriculture Director Franci Havemeister pictured with SNRAS Associate Dean Stephen Sparrow

May 5 was Alaska Agriculture Day, but the festivities have not ended yet: a “Taste of Alaska Grown” event is planned for Friday, May 8. From 6 to 8 p.m. at the Morris Thompson Center, 100 Dunkel St., in downtown Fairbanks, the public is invited to sample Alaska Grown foods, including locally grown meats, vegetables; cheese and ice cream produced in Alaska; and value-added products such as sauces, potato chips, and relishes. To add to the fun there will be a 4-H petting zoo.

On Tuesday, Alaska Agriculture Day, at the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce meeting, state Division of Agriculture Director Franci Havemeister kicked off the celebration. She told tales of her husband’s family history with the Matanuska Colony and quoted agriculture statistics. She informed the audience that the average age of Alaska farmers is 56 years. “There are 660 farms in Alaska bringing in $33.8 million every year.” Local agriculture lessens the state’s dependence on outside sources, she said, and she urged everyone to support local producers. “We need to protect our agriculture land,” she added. Later that day, Havemeister visited Woodriver Elementary School to read agriculturally-themed books to first graders and help them plant onion sets.

Also at the Chamber meeting, local farmer Mike Emers of Rosie Creek Farm discussed the economic impact of the Tanana Valley Farmers’ Market and the details of participating in community supported agriculture. The Farmers’ Market brings in over $1 million each summer. As for CSAs, (see map) he said the local farms participating in this type of venture serve over 300 families and bring in $150,000 each year. Community supported agriculture is so popular that existing farms are at full share capacity, with plenty of room for more farms and farmers. Based on the waiting lists for shares at local farms, CSAs could serve up to 1,000 shareholders in the Fairbanks area right now, Emers stated. “We just have to have the land and the producers to do it,” he said. “In a small plot with a lot of hard work a small garden can support five to ten families.”

Jan Hanscom, recently retired from the Georgeson Botanical Garden, explained about the new Alaska industry of growing peonies for profit and the research that has been done to prepare for this opportunity. Members of the Alaska Peony Growers’ Association will have 100,000 peony plants in the ground by the end of 2010. Research continues on growing seasons, and test shipments to California are in progress. “I’m convinced that we can sell everything we grow,” Hanscom said.