Gardening Report: What’s fresh at the Fairbanks farmers market?

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - With a wide variety of crops being harvested, which crops are in season at the Fairbanks Farmers Market?

Growers across the Fairbanks borough are bringing their freshly harvested crops to the market, and according to Heidi Rader, Associate Professor of Extension for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, buying locally is a great way to ensure fresh, quality produce. “Buying local keeps the money right here in Fairbanks, and you’re going to get fresher produce. You’re also going to get a wider variety of produce than you might find just in the grocery store. So, supporting your local economy and buying fresh healthy food is a great way to do it here at the farmers market.”

Rader said this is a great time of year for a wide variety of fresh produce. “Right now is pretty much the peak of harvest. So you can find everything from carrots, to mushrooms, to berries, to tomatoes and cucumbers. A little later you’re going to get into potatoes and some of the storage crops like winter squash as well. We had some really cool weather this week, so you do want to get in and buy what you can before the frost - and hopefully our season will continue way into the fall.”

But out of the wide selection, certain produce is currently at its peak of fresh harvest according to Rader. “Things like fresh herbs, mushrooms... I always look for berries, those sell out early... so you gotta get to the farmers market early in the day to get your strawberries and even blueberries. Garlic goes pretty fast as well, fresh eggs, just a real wide variety of things you can get here.”

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