Gov. Mike Dunleavy has officially declared this week as Farmers Market Week to “encourage all Alaskans to recognize the economic contributions of Alaska’s farmers, producers, growers and small businesses to the local communities, and to enjoy the abundance of quality Alaska-grown food sources by seeking out farmers markets.”
Right now down at the Homer Farmers Market you can see an abundance of just that: quality Alaska-grown food. Huge quantities of cilantro, basil and broccolini. Onions, celery, carrots and tender turnips. Napa and savoy cabbage. Radishes and greens galore. Garlic, artichokes, kohlrabi and zucchinis. Flowers and herbs of all kinds.
On top of all that, I can’t help but note how salty the Market is this year. Jen and Paul from WillGrow Farm have had herb salt for years, and now I also see that Lori from Synergy Gardens has taken her garlic project to the salt shaker as well with her garlic scape salt.
Megan at Wild Wellness Farm has added spruce tip salt to her booth. When I asked her how she recommends folks use her finishing salt, she highlighted eggs, fish and chicken. But she recently discovered it also went wonderfully in a stir fry that she made with Fritz Creek Fungi mushrooms. Can you really go wrong? And if you prefer sweet to salty, there is always the spruce tip jelly over at Marsha’s Sweet Berries booth.
But the veggie growers aren’t the only salty ones. The Alaska Beauty Peony Co-op has a peony soak with relaxing Epsom salts, peony petals and salt made from Kachemak Bay.
Then there is Alpine Flower Wellness. Her botanical salts have a mix of rose, basil, peony and a blend of essential oils guaranteed to temp you. Melissa is also busy drying more flower petals these days in preparation for having a build-your-own botanical salts day with bowls of your favorite petals to choose from.
So join folks celebrating National Farmers Market Week all across the country by heading down to the Market on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or Wednesday from 2-5 p.m. where even our saltiest vendors are worth celebrating.
