Ruralite magazine, a monthly publication of Golden Valley Electric Association, reached out to speak with myself and Brad St. Pierre about food security in Interior. I’m an advocate and am working to bring awareness to this issue through by blog posts and podcasts. Brad, is the foot on the ground industry expert. He is the Executive Director of the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, co-owns and runs his own farm, Goosefoot Farm with his wife Christine and is active in Alaska.
His passion and energy for improving our food system and food security is endless. He is also currently serving as Vice President of the Alaska Farmer’s Market Association, so naturally his knowledgeable voice matters.
Why are we doing this? Why is GVEA doing this? Because food security is a serious issue for us Interior Alaskans. Focusing on improving our food systems, making a choice to buying local and Alaska grown and reducing dependency on outside sources for shipping food in are all part of the equation in moving the needle forward. Currently we grow only 5% of the food we need. At the best of times we have only five days of food supplies on the shelves if adversity hots. These are sobering statistics. We have all witnessed, what happened during COVID, and also with supply chain disruptions. The shelves emptied out! It is a scary proposition.
So, its time to support the farmers and those who are working to bring food to our table. Grown your own, can, preserve, but if you cannot, and many cannot, then support those who are doing the work. Go to the Farmer’s markets, go to coop retail outlets like Roaming Root Cellar in Fairbanks, Co-Op market, or better still sign up for the many CSA’s, or community supported agriculture programs. This is a great way to get fresh produce all summer long, but also get winter vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, carrots, rutabagas, kohlrabi and yes, all kinds of mushrooms all winter long. In some cases all year long.
There are many issues and challenges, land availability, high energy costs, unpredictable weather patterns, and transportation challenges. Would the farmers grow more? Sure, if there was demand for their product. After all this is a their business and they have to make a living.
So, while supporting the farmers, make healthy choices for yourselves as well. Lets work together to change the picture.