Our Farmers
KNOW YOUR FARMERS
We work with over thirty farmers and ranchers from around the state. Whether on three acres or three-hundred, all are hardworking Alaskans, dedicated to providing the highest quality food in the state. Get to know some of your local farmers and food producers below.
Produce
PAM'S CARROTS
Palmer
Pam has been growing the state’s sweetest and most sought-after carrots for over 30 years on her family farm in Palmer. As a second-generation Alaskan farmer, she knows a thing or two about growing top quality produce. The variety of carrots she grows was chosen for their exceptional flavor and tenderness. They are so tender in fact, they have to be hand harvested because they would break if left to machine harvesting like other large farmers do.
THREE LADYBUGS FARM
Palmer
Garnet Knopp made the leap into full time farming as a total newbie in 2018. With lots of expertise from his third generation farmer in-laws, and a few acres of their land , he was able to establish a thriving vegetable farm. He specializes in zucchini, beans, peas, and potatoes, using as few chemical inputs as possible.
SPRING CREEK
Palmer
Spring Creek Farm is part of Alaska Pacific University’s Kellogg Campus. They are both a working farm and an educational center. They focus on sustainable growing techniques to produce a diverse variety of vegetables. A portion of what they grow goes to the Alaska Tilth Project, a program that provides education about healthy, affordable eating to families in need.
VANDERWEELE FARMS
Palmer
Ben and Suus VanderWeele immigrated to Alaska from the Netherlands in 1967 and soon began farming in Palmer. Ben is a 10th generation farmer and all three of their grown children have followed in his footsteps, returning to help run the farm. On 200+ acres they grow close to half in potatoes, plus large amounts of lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and wheat.
BUSHES BUNCHES
Palmer
Bruce Bush is a third generation farmer, growing on land passed down to him from his father. He has several tens of acres scattered around Palmer, where he grows mainly potatoes, rhubarb, and summer squash, with a smattering of other specialty items. His popular Bushes Bunches Farm Stand, which he runs with his wife Vicki, is a staple source of local produce in the Palmer community.
ACME GREENHOUSES
Palmer
Acme Greenhouses is run by Bill Garrison—farmer and auto body shop owner, he is a man of many talents. He specializes in growing premium quality beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. Everything is grown hydroponically in large, heated greenhouses. The additional heat allows him to start plants early and have produce late into the season. He uses bumblebees to pollinate his plants and no chemical pesticides are used once the plants have set fruit.
GLACIER VALLEY FARM
Palmer
Produce manager turned farmer Arthur Keyes got his start in farming after marrying into the Vanderweele Farm family in Palmer. Glacier Valley Farm sprouted just down the road from the Vanderweele’s where Arthur specializes in cucumbers, zucchini, and more recently, his own brand of onions--Yenesis. He has played many roles in agriculture including starting the South Anchorage Farmers Market and being the Director of the Division of Agriculture.
Eggs
GRANITE PEAK FARM
Sutton
Jason Afrank started Granite Peak Farm in 2016. With around 30 acres of land, he raises Katadin sheep, milk cows, a few hundred laying hens and around 30 hogs each year. Each of these animals plays an important ecosystem role on the farm. From trimming underbrush in the woods to eating insect pests and fertilizing the pastures with manure. The hogs have even helped expand the garden by clearing weedy areas. The hogs eat the garden waste including lots of planted turnips that are just for them.
LUNA BEAR FARM
Palmer
LunaBear Farm started out as a hobby that grew into a poultry rescue operation, and then ultimately, into a small business. A few years into the endeavor (and hundreds of chickens and turkeys later) Sandy Calvetti and Greg Erikson are focused on producing eggs from healthy, mixed flocks of rare and exotic breeds of layers. Sitting at the end of the road near the foot of Lazy Mountain in Palmer is their 1.5 acre bustling poultry farm that today is home to nearly 200 birds.
POLARIS FARM
Palmer
Polaris Farm is one of Alaska's largest and hardest working poultry farms. They are home to a mix of a few thousand laying hens, meat birds and, in the spring, baby chicks destined for backyards in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. In the summer, they produce piles of juicy greenhouse tomatoes, several varieties of sweet and hot peppers, sweet English cucumbers and piles of plump black currants. All very happy in soil rich with composted chicken manure.
RED FEATHER FARM
Palmer
Loren and Denise raise hogs, ducks, rabbits and laying hens outdoors in the sun and feed them on local Alaskan grains whenever possible. Loren is originally a transplant from the Wisconsin Dells area in Wisconsin. Denise is a fishermen's daughter, born and raised in Alaska hailing from Naknek. Loren still keeps a job off farm and handles the bulk of the animal husbandry. Denise handles the farmers market and keeps the bills paid. They have 40 very hilly acres right up against Wishbone Hill in Palmer.
Meat
BLOOD, SWEAT & FOOD FARM
Homer
Blood Sweat & Food Farms in Homer was founded by four friends who believe in one thing: great food! They raise pastured hogs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkey, and believe that happy and healthy critters and plants are essential ingredients for happy, healthy people. Their great food starts with great soil created by utilizing animals as nature intended.
KASPARI FARM
Delta Junction
Phil and Mary Kaspari raise around 125 Yak on over 400 acres of lush green pastures east of Delta Junction, Alaska. A true family farm with fans all across the state. We love offering this unique product as a beef alternative that we believe you will LOVE!
MUGRAGE HAY AND CATTLE
Delta Junction
Mugrage Hay and Cattle located in Delta Junction, raise some of the highest quality beef in the state. Their cows are pasture raised on grass all summer and fed local hay, barley, and pea silage in the winter. They are grain finished for beautiful marbling, offering full flavored meat.
Seafood
CATCH 49
ANCHORAGE
Catch 49 sources high-quality wild seafood responsibly harvested by Alaska's small boat fishermen. The help these fishermen get a better price for their catch and they strive to use independent, family-run processors as well. Profits are invested in Alaska Marine Conservation Council’s efforts to ensure our vibrant Alaskan fisheries remain healthy for generations to come.
PantrY
ROTATING COFFEE ROASTERS
Statewide
There are so many great coffee roasters in Alaska that we wanted to share the love. So instead of just choosing one to work with, we have a rotating selection of coffee to give you different tastes from around the state!
ALASKA FLOUR COMPANY
Delta Junction
The Alaska Flour Company was founded in 2011 and is the only commercial flour mill in Alaska. (The next nearest mill is more than 1,500 miles away!) The mill produces a long line of barley products using barley grown right in Delta Junction. Their 100% whole-grain, stone-ground barley products are high in fiber and low in fat, gluten, and cholesterol. Homegrown, family-owned, healthy, delicious food – that’s what it’s all about at the Alaska Flour Company.
ALASKA PASTA COMPANY
Anchorage
The Alaska Pasta Company was started in 1987 by Verne Martell providing fresh pastas to restaurants around Anchorage. Flash forward to today, Verne’s son Matt Martell now owns the company. He has been carrying on the pasta-making tradition since 2016 supplying delicious fresh pastas to the people of Anchorage. Matt and his team create a variety of pasta types and seasonal flavors, including fettuccine, shells, spaghetti, rigatoni and the ever-popular ravioli!
ALASKAN HILLTOP HONEY
Anchorage
Alaska Hilltop Honey Company was started about five years ago as a hobby for Vance Sasinowski. Today however, he is pushing the envelope on what local honey means. His main honey producing hives are strategically placed in six locations around Anchorage. The incredible result is honey that was harvested from specific neighborhoods across Anchorage...most likely, including yours! It takes a special dedication to produce honey that reflects the character or 'terroir' of specific Anchorage zones.
BARNACLE
Juneau
On the way back home from a fishing trip, Matt and Lia filled a bucket with kelp, gathered their friends, and created handmade kelp pickles and kelp salsas in thier home kitchen. Their very first batches of kelp salsa and pickles were inspired by recipes from some of the original coastal Alaskan homesteaders. Over the years, with each harvest of kelp their batches grew. In 2016 they founded Barnacle to share their Kelp Salsa and Pickles with you too.
CHUGACH CHOCOLATES
Anchorage
Chugach Chocolates handcraft their chocolate bars in Anchorage at the foot of the Chugach Mountains. They work hard to bring together ridiculously delicious dark chocolate and exciting local ingredients to create uniquely Alaskan treats. Whether you’re celebrating milestones or mile-markers, they’re a perfect compliment to all of life’s adventures. We also find that it makes one heckuva gift too.
ELEVATED OATS
Anchorage
Founded in 2019 by veteran entrepreneur Megan Militello, Elevated Oats is the culmination of a lifelong appreciation of simplicity. With a growing variety of flavors, new packaging and a strong following Elevated Oats is taking Alaska by storm! Their granola recipes utilize several local ingredients, including Alaskan beets and carrots!