Melissa’s love for educating started early on in her career. She has a long career success with educating children, teachers and the community on everything from working the land, having a business plan for a farm, hydroponics, what to grow in Alaska, soil, composting and preserving what you grow. The gamut of topics that Mel has taught in this community is mind boggling. She extends her teaching efforts to outside the city of Fairbanks as the FWSCD extends to outlying areas. Her work is grant driven as there is no funding for the program. Which brings a question to mind, WHY NOT? We know we have food security issues, we grow only 5% of our food here, the rest is shipped in. We know we need to grow more, make more land available to farmers, increase small scale farms and make it easy for them to grow food here. Why is there no funding for this very essential work?
We can have all the Mel’s in the world working tirelessly to help people learn about farming, working on growing more, preserving more, and help with food hubs and DEC certified kitchens. But without funding we do not move the needle at all. The work of FSWCD and Mel and her colleagues is one that is driven by passion. They all are doing the work to promote growing healthy nutritious food in our communities. Lets support them, lets support the farmers. Lets growm more small scale farmers and build storage facilities so they can grow more to have fresh food available year around.
When you are in the presence of a tireless foot soldier like Mel Sikes, you are in awe of this person, who just keeps on trudging, keeps getting grants to help teach, keeps collaborating with others and keeps being the go to person with all her knowledge and energy. Is nothing impossible? No! with Mel and her positive attitude, all things are possible. Way to go Mel!