Calypso Farm and Ecology Center is an educational farm in Ester, Alaska, offering hands-on education programs for people of all ages, capabilities and backgrounds. Tom Zimmer and Susan Willsrud who co-founded the farm, focused on education and community. Both items are big mission focus for them and their board of directors.
Established in 2000, Calypso has grown to host an array of educational programs from farming and homesteading, to blacksmithing and fiber arts. The farm itself is a diversified 3 acres of vegetables, herbs and cut flowers, nestled in the boreal forest. Shetland sheep, have replaced the goats as Susan got more interested in fiber. There are bees but Tom says, the honey is a work in progress. That means, look out! We will have honey soon for not just Tom’s consumption but ours as well. Tom and Susan invite animals into their farm to integrated into the farm ecosystem.
Their mission is to encourage local food production and environmental awareness through hands-on education in natural and farming ecosystems. Tom calls himself a naturalist. He looks to mother nature to guide his decisions and often refers to mother nature who he says has “more experience”. He is also focused on soil; healthy soil is key to growing food on his farm, and often condition of the soil dictates what is going right or wrong with the crop of vegetables or flowers that he is growing. He is big on bio diversity, he also is a big fan of diversity in what he grows. Climate fluctuations can affect the crops, some summers are cold, some are rainy, some are too hot. He plants around these so by diversifying he is still able to grow and sell vegetables that will sustain the seasonal fluctuations.
Tom’s vocabulary is centered around healthy soil, biodiversity, diversification, and his knowledge of all these areas is impressive. Tom also strongly believes in small scale farming. In his way of thinking, large farms are ok, but if things go south, the food security is impacted, whereas when we have lots of small farms, there are layers of food sources and security available for community.
To address the issue of availability of healthy food to southside of Fairbanks, Tom and his team, alongside the folks from Soup Kitchen, created a Southside Community Market, where those who do not have close access to farmers markets or stores can get locally produced vegetables, flowers, and also products like, bread, preserves, chickens, baked goods and so much more. This summer the team started providing meals at every Tuesday market. Free of Charge! Amazing ,meals that are lovingly created for the community by the talented chefs at Soup Kitchen.
Calypso Farm is a gathering place for the community, to learn, to grow, to share, and to support those who cannot pay for healthy food. Everyone is invited, families are invited, indigenous people from around the state are invited, and if you in turn want to experience a fabulous setting for your own special event, you are invited to have it there.
There is so much happening at the farm. Check it out! And if you are lucky, you will get a slice of Tom’s wood fired pizza.