It's a success story of creating a food and community focused market where community and vendors come together to provide locally produced and crafted food to the most insecure area in our city.

Vendors line up every Tuesday to offer abundance of produce, eggs, baked goods, preserves, flowers, mushrooms, salsa, meat and seafood to the community. There are discounts available to those who need to use them, no questions asked. There is a free community meal every week, free to all, no questions asked. Last summer 4000 meals were served.

While this neighborhood is the most food insecure in our city, it is also a vibrant & active community with many members who participate in & support the Market.

Along with the neighborhood steering committee, Calypso Farm, and Breadline, the Southside Market is coming into its TENTH summer.

The Southside Market is dedicated to making quality, local food accessible to everyone. In their commitment to food justice, the Southside Market accepts SNAP (food stamps), WIC, Senior Farmers Market Coupons & offers “Pay What You Can” discounts – up to 50% off – to anyone in need.

A greenhouse rooted in tradition, Risse shows pride in what they sell. Their ongoing commitment and focus on building relationships and education is exemplary. Come meet this amazing family, listen to their story and aspirations.

Risse Greenhouse was started 65 years ago in Fairbanks, AK by Lee and Greta Risse. They were both homesteaders and evolved from growing vegetables and flowers for themselves, then for neighbors, then supplying to other greenhouses to transitioning into being a wholesaler for Fred Meyers, a retail store. That relationship, became burdensome as Fred Meyer's corporate started to dictate and create policies that Lee did not subscribe to. He went his separate way and the greenhouse became more of a retailer, selling to the people in the community. Or to "anyone that would drive out to the farm"

Lee and Greta's son Glen and his wife Crystal took the helm of the family business and it has evolved into what you see now as a large sprawling enterprise growing flowers, vegetables, as well as having a presence weekly at the Tanana Valley Farmers market.

Its a wonderful history and story of a family that is rooted in tradition, and pride in what they do. You will be inspired.

visit them at rissegreenhouse.com

Meet Jodie Anderson, Director of Institute of Agriculture at UAF. Don't let her laughing, bubbly and fun personality fool you, She is the force behind all good things that are happening at the IANRE. She oversees the statewide complex IANRE, which is Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Extension.

Do you care? You should! All great things happening at IANRE we are familiar with. Like, Georgeson Botanical Gardens, experimental farms in Fairbanks and Matanuska Valley, 300 plus classes on everything gardening and preservation, youth development through 4H programs, Nanook Gardens, Music in the Gardens, Currant Festival, THE recognized and honored Peony Research garden.

What we don't see is the myriad of research that is going on behind the scenes in soils, forestry, crop management, root research, lighting research to grow better produce and plants, Its mind boggling. UAF tomatoes and peppers anyone?

All this work supports the ultimate recipient of this work, the producers, or the farmers or people who garden at small or large scale. Her mission is to help families grow more food, farmers produce more crops, and all citizens live a healthier lives.

Take a listen. You'll fall in love with her and learn so much what's happening right here at UAF. Visit, https://www.uaf.edu/ianre/