Freezing Farms in Alaska
by Rowan Dunlap
The approach of summer in Alaska is marked by the return of daylight and vegetation, warming the heart of every Alaskan. Our world of darkness, forty below weather, and blankets of white snow obscuring all color is replaced by lush greenery, wild flowers and fresh produce, something many do not expect from an artic desert. The water stores up through the winter in the form of snow and the long days of sunlight (reaching nearly 24 hours of sunlight on the solstice) fuel a vibrant agricultural community.
As a child in Fairbanks, Alaska, the Tanana Valley Farmers’ Market was a destination only topped by the state fair for excitement. People bring their families, their pets, make new friends and run into old. I went with my mother when I was too young to drive and later it was a favorite rendezvous spot for my friends and me. This farmers’ market is one of many in Alaska that serves as a thriving community gathering spots and a source of prized local produce in a state where 90% of food products are imported.
Alaskans are a very proud, independent bunch, living so far from the continental U.S. in a state fully 20% the size of the lower 48 states. This pride extends to the products of Alaska. The label Alaska Grown is universally known in the state and no college student can possibly study out of state without bringing a piece of Alaska Grown merchandise along. And not without reason, I would argue. Alaska is not only the largest state in the U.S., but due to extremely long days, it grows the largest vegetables. Alaska holds the world record for the largest carrot (19 lbs.), rutabaga (76 lbs.), cabbage (106 lbs.), turnip (39 lbs.), celery (63 lbs.) and cantaloupe (65 lbs.).
It’s not just about state pride though. Buying out of state in Alaska means a bit more than it might in a state like Massachusetts. The distance from Anchorage to Seattle, the nearest large shipping point is roughly 1500 miles, and about 500 miles more to Fairbanks. In addition to the arguments that can be made for energy conservation from transportation and freshness, Alaska Grown produce also contains fewer pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals due to lower disease and crop pest levels. And yet still only 10% of Alaska food consumption is supplied in state. For a population density of only one person per square mile, there is enough land for a great deal more instate food production. There is an estimated 15 million acres of land suitable for farming in Alaska. Of this total acreage, 900 farms cover 1 million acres and reported revenue of $53 million in 2004.
There is potential for more production, but there are many obstacles as well. Much of the land suitable for farming is covered in dense forest or owned by the U.S. government. Despite the colossal vegetables produced by the extended daylight hours in the summer, the growing season is extremely short. Most vegetables are only available fresh during July and August. There is a thriving meat and dairy industry, however, and many vegetables, such as potatoes, can be made available year round. There are some products then that can be purchased Alaska Grown year round, but others we just wait for the farmers’ market to open and treasure all the more for their limited availability.
As I learn more and more about local food systems and sustainable agriculture, I marvel at the amount of products that my family purchased locally when I was a child in a region most likely among the least productive in the U.S.. And yet there is so much more that can be done. With a few sacrifices of variety in the winter months, I truly believe that Alaska could be self-sufficient. And if Alaska could pull it off, couldn’t any place?