AFES Science and News: Farm to Table event highlights Alaska Grown in an elegant way

Friday, August 17, 2012

Farm to Table event highlights Alaska Grown in an elegant way

A gorgeous array of fresh vegetables was the highlight of the appetizer table.

Guests gathered Aug. 15 to discover the bounty of Alaska’s fields and waters at the School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Farm to Table event.

“Alaska-grown foods aren’t just for the casual table,” SNRAS Dean and Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Director Carol Lewis said. “We’re going to prove that tonight.

“We must pay attention to our food; it will not be an easy task to make Alaska food secure but we need to make an effort that will finally stick.”

Sponsored by Chena Hot Springs Resort, UAF Dining Services, SNRAS and the Fairbanks Economic Development Corp., the dinner consisted almost entirely of local foods, gathered from Alaska farms and prepared by UAF Catering Services.

Mike Emers of Rosie Creek Farm told the audience that food is absolutely something we need. “But very little thought goes into the farm to table concept. I’m glad UAF is hosting this event to bring awareness.”

Emers challenged Fairbanksans to put their money where they mouths are. “We have saturated the market for those who are willing to pay top dollar. We have got to get fresh healthy food in the larger markets and help farmers get a fair price. We need to figure out how everyone can afford to eat locally.”

He added that he would like to see Alaska build an economy around feeding ourselves. “I’ve said it before that if there were 100 farms like mine we could keep Fairbanks in vegetables year round. We need to support the industry and encourage new farmers. We need agricultural research and we need sustainable agriculture in this state.”

Bryce Wrigley, a farmer from Delta Junction and president of the Alaska Farm Bureau, said Alaska farmers are growing something in every food group. As he named the food groups, to his own amusement, he left out grains. He is a barley producer and owner of the state’s only flour mill.

“Have you ever wanted to be on the ground floor of something?” Wrigley asked. “Well we can be. We must look for new markets.” For example, his family raised barley for animal feed for 30 years and recently developed a new market by focusing on people food (barley flour and barley cereal).

Wrigley said Alaska needs to develop processing facilities so fruits and vegetables can be on the shelves all year. And a mobile slaughtering plant would help the meat industry.

He encouraged shoppers to ask for Alaska-grown food when they go to the grocery store, and told a tale of frustration when a person who works on the pipeline encouraged him to sell his barley cereal to the pipeline’s food supplier. Wrigley ran into a brick wall because the food services company buys all its products from a large Outside company. “I want everyone to look at how we can get Alaska food into these systems,” Wrigley said.

“There’s something wrong with this picture.”

Fairbanks Economic Development Corp. Director Jim Dodson described Fairbanks as an isolated economy. Recalling the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy, Dodson said Alaska had four days of food in stock due to transportation stoppages. “Food security is significant,” Dodson said. “To those who live in Fairbanks it is particularly important.

“What are we going to do to help ourselves? How can farmers come together as a collective? We shouldn’t turn down help but the first place to look is inside.”

He ended by asking, “What kind of opportunities can we create in Fairbanks in the food-growing business?”

The menu featured pickled Alaska king crab and cod, Thai spiced steak and lettuce wraps, roasted vegetable cheesecake, fresh vegetables with savory rhubarb dip, green salad, Alaska beef steaks with rosemary chimichurri, rhubarb lentil curry with kale and red peppers, salmon, bacon potato roast, tandoori roasted vegetables, barley flour cheddar rosemary drop biscuits, Brown Betty with rhubarb, Saskatoon berries and raspberries.

Food was provided by Basically Basil, Chena Fresh, Dart A&M Farm, Dr. Meriam Karlsson of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Laboratory, Johnson Family Farm, Larry's Garden, Matanuska Experiment Farm, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Dr. Alexandra Oliveira of Kodiak Seafood & Marine Science Center, Pickled Willys Wild Alaska Seafood, Pike's Waterfront Lodge, Rosie Creek Farm, Dr. Stephen Sparrow, Tanana Valley Farmers Market and Wrigley Farms.

Special guests included Sen. Joe Thomas, Rep. Tammie Wilson, Fairbanks City Council Member Vivian Stiver, assistant to Sen. Lisa Murkowski Althea St. Martin, UAF Provost Susan Henrichs and Director of the Alaska Division of Agriculture Franci Havemeister.