“Fairbanks is the Mecca for CSAs,” said Michelle Hebert, agriculture and horticulture agent at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service.
“We have more CSAs than other regions of Alaska. This is where you see the most farmers utilizing the model,” she said.
Demand for local produce is equally strong, and the marketplace is just about sold out, say Fairbanks farmers.
“Our waiting list is very long, and our CSA list is full,” said Brad St. Pierre, farm manager at Rosie Creek Farm.
In a CSA program, consumers buy shares of a farm at a set price at the beginning of the season and receive weekly boxes of vegetables — and sometimes other goods — throughout the season. The deal gives farmers financial security and spreads the risk of a bad harvest. In return, members get a stream of fresh, organic produce, the knowledge of their food’s origin and a way to support local business.
For $425, each of Rosie Creek’s 160 members get one box — starting in two weeks — every week until mid-September.
“We grow around 70 varieties of veggies. There’s enough to feed four people for a week in every box,” St. Pierre said.
Spinach Creek Farm has observed an equally large appetite for vegetables, said owner Pete Mayo.
In 1997, Mayo and his wife Lynn were the first Fairbanks farmers to take on shareholders. While they had no waiting list in the early days, for the past few years they’ve been at maximum capacity with 40 members, Mayo said.
Calypso Farm & Ecology Center, the biggest of the three, also is almost full. For $600, members get weekly installments of organically grown broccoli, tomatoes, carrots and much more from next week until the end of September.
“I think the interest in local agriculture is enormous,” said owner Susan Willsrud.
To keep up with demand, Calypso has branched into school gardens, where more than 100 teenage students are hired to harvest and sell produce at individual farm stands four nights per week.
While Calypso is taking longer to fill up, Willsrud said, she attributes this to more people buying organic produce from Outside or gardening at home.
Hebert confirmed a surge of calls and inquiries from home gardeners at the Cooperative Extension Service within the last year. And what people can’t grow, they are increasingly buying from Fairbanks.
“If they’re looking for better quality, fresher produce, they’re going to decide if they can get it fresher by buying local,” Hebert said.
CSA/CSF contact list:
Google Map: CSAs in Alaska
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&source=embed&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105382216122239080320.0004683d5461af8465e9f
Alaskans Own
(community-supported fishery)
Sherry Tuttle, Agent
PO Box 2106
246 Katlian Street
Sitka, Ak 99835
747-5386; Fax: 747-7113; mail@alaskansown.com
www.alaskansown.com
All I Saw Farm/Fair Skies Dairy
Heather and Lowell Fair
645 G St., Ste. #100-579
Anchorage, AK 99501
232-5414 or 441-1851, fairskies@allisawfarm.com
http://FairSkiesAlaska.com
Arctic Organics
Sarah & River Bean
1305 North Smith Road
Palmer, AK 99645
746-1087, info@arcticorganics.com, beans@alaska.com
www.arcticorganics.com
Arctic Roots Farm
Chris Dubois & Nancy Davidian
1293 Esro Road
Fairbanks, AK 99712
488-9800, arcticrootsfarm@alaska.net
Basically Basil
Gretchen Kerndt
PO Box 83271
College AK 99708
479-2089, basbasil@mosquitonet.com
www.basicallybasil.com
Blue Moon Dairy
Rachel Hecker
2200 N. CottonWood Loop
Wasilla, Alaska 99654
373-9875, blumoo_99@yahoo.com
http://bluemoondairy.tripod.com
Calypso Farm & Ecology Center
Christie Shell, Susan Willsrud, Tom Zimmer
PO Box 106
Ester AK 99725
479-4589, 451-0691, calypsochristie@gmail.com
www.calypsofarm.org, http://sgicalypso.wordpress.com
Cottonwood Creek Farm
Suzy Crosby & Mike Pendergrast
1513 W. Clydesdale Drive
Wasilla, AK 99654
PO Box 873406
Wasilla, AK 99687
357-7642 home, 863-1276 cell
info@cottonwoodcreekfarm.org, packnmilk@ak.net
http://cottonwoodcreekfarm.org/
Demeter’s Wild Rose Farm
Eric Mayo & Sue Kerndt
PO Box 83271
Fairbanks, AK 99708
479-6363, kerndtmayo@alaska.net
DogWood Gardens
Bill & Cheryl Wood
3843 Old Nenana Hwy.
Fairbanks, AK 99709
451-0061, 388-1943, woodak@mosquitonet.com
Feedback Farm
Theo DeLaca
585 Henry Hahn Court
Fairbanks AK 99712
488-5993, tcdelaca@alaska.edu, feedbackfarm@gmail.com
For the Love of Gardening
Matt Lorenz
HC 60 230-Y
Copper Center AK 99573
320-1067, matt@loveofgardening.net
Glacier Valley Farm
(CSA & Alaska-based subscription service combo)
Arthur & Michelle Keyes & Alison Arians
677.3712 or 748-3712, customerservice@glaciervalleycsa.com, amkeyes@mtaonline.net, arthur@glaciervalleycsa.com
www.glaciervalleycsa.com
Jewell Gardens
Charlotte Jewell
PO Box 535
Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907 983-2111, Fax: 907 983-2019, 612-0115, jewellgardens@yahoo.com, info@jewellgardens.com
www.jewellgardens.com
Livin’ Good Farm
Heidi Lee Livengood
982 Bennett Rd.
Fairbanks, AK 99712
474-0366
www.livingoodfarm.com
Lunachick Mountain Farmstead
Ben & Lisa Stevenson
Palmer, AK 99
(907) 232-5683
bushwings@starband.net
http://arctichomesteader.squarespace.com/
Meyers Farm
Tim Meyers
PO Box 30
Bethel AK 99559
543-1270, meyersfarm@gmail.com
http://meyersfarm.net/
Ridgeway Farms
Abby & Harry Ala
5220 Strawberry Road
Kenai, AK 99611
283-9166
Rosie Creek Farm
Joan Hornig & Mike Emers
PO Box 181
Ester, AK 99725
479-3642, mike@rosiecreekfarm.com
www.rosiecreekfarm.com
Seed to Roots
Irene Hofling
PO Box 367
Haines, AK 99827
Simple Pleasures of Alaska
(CSA & Alaska-based subscription service combo; w/Organically Grown Company, Portland, Oregon)
Renee Pierce
505 Hirst Street
Sitka, AK 99835
738-0044 (cell) or 747-3814 (home), 747-3880; Fax: 747-3894
mpierce@ptialaska.net, contactus@simplepleasuresak.com
www.simplepleasuresak.com
Spinach Creek Farm
Pete & Lynn Mayo
5181 Murphy Dome Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
455-6043, spinachcreek@gci.net
Spring Creek Farm
Anne-Corinne Kell
6404 N Lossing Rd.
Palmer AK 99645
745-7406, 746-2795, ancokell@earthlink.net, fieldschool@alaskapacific.edu
www.springcreekfarmak.org
Twitter Creek Gardens & CSA
Emily Garrity
60831 Andrey Lane
Homer, AK 99603
235-2621, twittercreekgardens@gmail.com, www.twittercreekgardens.com
Winter Greens Organic Gardens
Amy Dimmick
Mile 111.4 Sterling Highway
Kasilof, AK 99610
260-4769, wintergreens@gmail.com
School CSAs
http://sgicalypso.wordpress.com/
http://calypsofarm.org/schoolyard_garden_initiative.htm
Fairbanks:
Effie Kokrine Charter School
Hunter Elementary School
Pearl Creek Elementary School
University Park Elementary School
Woodriver Elementary School