- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- PRODUCE AND PLANTS
- MEAT AND SEAFOOD
- RECIPE: SPROUT SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING
- RECIPE: HONEY LAVENDER COOKIES
- HOURS AND LOCATION

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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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It might not be getting much warmer outside (is that snow in the
forecast?), but at least the market is growing! It was lovely to see the
sea of green last week as vendors brought beautiful, blooming plants out of
their Palmer greenhouses and down to the market. We’ve got a variety of
exotic flowers, vegetable starts, and salad fixings this week—all
excellent ways to get the feeling of Spring despite the gray, brown, and
white coloring the Anchorage bowl these days.

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PRODUCE AND PLANTS
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The ground is taking its sweet time to thaw, and mud and standing water are
keeping the farmers from doing much tractoring. So while we wait patiently
for the right conditions for growing, enjoy the springtime produce and
greenhouse goods at the market this week.

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ALASKA SPROUTS will have fresh romaine lettuce, butterhead lettuce, and an
excellent assortment of microgreens including red radish microgreens, micro
arugula, micro broccoli, micro mustard, and bulls blood beet microgreens.
They’ll also have a fantastic selection of sprouts including clover
sprouts, 3-bean sprouted mix, onion sprouts, and daikon radish shoots.
You’ll also be able to pick up live basil plants and fresh extra-firm tofu
at their stand. Read more at http://www.alaskasprouts.com/.

GLACIER VALLEY FARM has a few cucumbers! Add them to your fresh greens and
remember what a real salad tastes like. Glacier Valley is also ready to get
your garden started with tomato plants, strawberry plants, hanging tomato
baskets, and hanging strawberry baskets. These low-maintenance plants are
already setting fruit, so with a little love and warmth, fresh strawberries
and cherry tomatoes are just a few weeks away! To see pictures of what’s
going on at the farm, check out Glacier Valley’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/glacier.farm.

GRAY OWL FARM has some good ways to cure the “snow blues” this week. They
will have brilliant colors in their containers, hanging baskets, and
individual pots for you to create your own visions. They are now on
Facebook so check them out to get a “sneak preview” of what is in store for
you: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gray-Owl-Farm/166087656881906. Their
textures and fabulous array of choices is unusual, as many of you who
frequently “greenhouse hop” already know. Spread the word…if you want
something special, visit Gray Owl Farm! If you miss Gray Owl at the market
this weekend, the farm is open daily from 10-6. We must be eternal
optimists to be gardeners, so keep the faith….summer will arrive (even if
we don’t have spring:)!!!!

THE BLUE POPPY is scheduled to be at the market this week with a variety of
poppies and unique, colorful flowers. Check out Himalayan Blue Poppies,
Alpine Bells, and wild Lupine started from seed!

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MEAT AND SEAFOOD
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ARCTIC CHOICE SEAFOOD will have a large variety of fresh Alaska fish and
shellfish this coming Saturday. You may choose: First of the season fresh
Copper River Sockeye Salmon, Troll Caught King Salmon, Halibut, Cod,
Rockfish, Sablefish (Black Cod), in different forms such as whole, fillets,
cheeks and stuffed portions, along with Sidestripe Shrimp and Oysters in the
shell, along with Scallops, Spot Shrimp, Ikura and much more. We look
forward to seeing you this Saturday May 18th at the South Side Market.

MAT-VALLEY MEATS will have Alaska meats grown and processed in the
Matanuska Valley. Check out their selection on their website at
http://www.mvmeat.com.

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BAKERY, FOOD, AND MORE
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We have lots of honey at the market this week! A sweet, thick, high-quality
honey makes a world of difference, not only for eating straight or in hot
beverages, but also in baking. Local honey in Alaska is an extra special
treat because it’s difficult to keep bees through the winter here, and
many beekeepers have to start each spring with a new hive. You may have
heard claims that Alaska honey is sweeter. Well, the UAF Cooperative
Extension says it’s true! Alaska honey is thicker than commercial honey,
most likely because our growing season is short, so honey is harvested well
after the main nectar flow is over. This gives the bees plenty of time to
evaporate moisture from the nectar and reduce it to ripe honey.

A word about storing your honey: Don’t be alarmed if it begins to
granulate or becomes completely solid. That’s just what honey does. You
can re-liquefy your honey by heating it gently in a water bath of about
115°F.

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MARY JANE will be back at the market with fresh eggs, local honey, and
those delicious whole wheat cinnamon rolls, breads, and other goodies from
FRENCH OVEN BAKERY.

NON-ESSENTIALS is planning to attend with a nice variety of locally made
food items, including birch syrup products, honey, Mosquito Mamas balsamic
blend, and (if the weather is not too cold) egg chippatis!

PINKY’S KETTLE CORN will have traditional kettle corn, as well as caramel
corn, cinnamon kettle corn, and fresh-squeezed lemonade.

HONEY BUCKET RANCH, the newest addition to the SAFM, should be joining us
this week from Tok, AK with a variety of honey from their 20+ beehives.
Let’s welcome them to the market!

EARTHWORKS FARM is staring the season with their “Abeille Alaska” products:
moisturizing cream, deodorant cream, body powder, perfumes, lotion bars, and
lip balms made with Alaska Grown beeswax and honey. Items are beautifully
packaged in birchwood boxes and wrapped individually and/or in a beautiful
gift tin. Earthworks anticipates having specialty cut flowers and specialty
vegetables in July. And their honey will become available late August.

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RECIPE: SPROUT SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING
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I have to confess, I have not made this recipe yet, but it comes from my
friend Annie whose meals never fail to impress, so I trust it’s good. If
you have extra buttermilk dressing, it’s also great on pasta, farro, or
rice, especially when mixed with greens and finished with a healthy dose of
grated Pecorino.

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1 garlic clove
pinch salt
1 c buttermilk
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 1/2 tsp dried dill
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 c cooked garbanzo beans
1 c cooked mung beans or raw mung bean sprouts
large handful lettuce (roll leaves together, slice into ribbons)
large handful sprouts or micro greens, roughly chopped if large
handful well-toasted almonds, chopped
small bunch chives, minced

extra virgin olive oil
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated
chive flowers, optional

To make the dressing, crush and mash the garlic and salt together on a
cutting board. Add to a jar or bowl, whisking in the first the buttermilk,
followed by the olive oil, then dill and black pepper. Let sit while you

prepare the rest of the salad.

In a large bowl, just before serving, combine garbanzo and mung beans,
lettuce, sprouts or greens, almonds, and chives. Coat generously with the
buttermilk dressing, toss well. Serve individual portions, and finish each
with a drizzle of olive oil, grated Pecorino, and chive flowers sprinkled
across the top.

Serves about 4.

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RECIPE: HONEY LAVENDER COOKIES
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I am baking these cookies as I write the newsletter, and I have to say,
they smell amazing. Another treat from Annie’s kitchen, these cookies are
a perfect example of a recipe that gets exponentially better when you use a
high-quality local honey. Enjoy with a cup of hot tea (and extra spoonful
of honey!) while we wait out the cold Spring.

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1/3 c. butter, room temp
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. honey
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and honey, mixing well after each
addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, powder, and salt. Add
flour mixture to wet ingredients in 1/3 at a time, mixing just until no
flour streaks remain. Fold in lavender flowers. Roll into balls, press
lightly onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-9 minutes.

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies.

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SAFM HOURS AND LOCATION
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Saturday South Anchorage Farmers’ Market
Dates: May 11 - October 12
Hours: 9am-2pm
Location: Subway/Cellular One Sports Centre at the corner of Old Seward and
O’Malley

Wednesday South Anchorage Farmers’ Market
Dates: July 10 - September 25
Hours: 10am-4pm
Location: Behind the Dimond Center, in front of the Dimond Center Hotel