Grow North Farm Raises Urban Produce for Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Mountain View’s Grow North Farm provides space for immigrants to learn what grows well in Alaska’s climate, as well as to try growing foods from their homeland here.
Photo Credit: Grow North Farm
Grow North Farm, a project of Anchorage Community Land Trust and Catholic Social Services, launched its sixth season last week with a Thursday Grow North Marketplace. Its farm stand will operate through the summer from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
Global Produce Marketplace
Opened in 2019, Grow North Farm has more than 28,000 square feet for growing crops in the heart of the Mountain View neighborhood. The farm is meant to empower and equip immigrants and refugees who wish to develop food businesses while planting metaphorical seeds of generational wealth, self-sufficiency, and well-being. The farmers receive food business and agricultural training and can test products and scale their sales each week, giving customers a chance to support up-and-coming local food businesses by purchasing fresh, local produce and global cuisine.
In the past five seasons, Grow North Farm businesses have generated more than $500,000 in sales income, with all of the proceeds going directly to the business owners. This season builds on that success with new sales channels and infrastructure to help operations grow.
Current Issue
December 2024
This season, Grow North Farm is expanding its weekly global market, held Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. The market features unique-to-Anchorage products from around the world, including hot food, baked goods, cottage goods, crafts, and services. Customers can check out Anchorage Community Land Trust and Catholic Social Services social media to see who will be vending each week.
Fresh vegetables are just the beginning; Grow North Farm provides a marketplace for grown, made, and manufactured items from around the globe.
Photo Credit: Grow North Farm
Participants this year come from all over the world:
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- Rainbow Produce, owned by Bhai Subba from Bhutan;
- Ba-Lescas Familia produce, cottage goods, and Oaxacan catering, owned by Hilario Bautista from southern Mexico;
- Umoja Vegetables, owned by Koleta Kangeta and Asumani Misamsano from the Democratic Republic of Congo;
- Family Group Farm, owned by Manasi Nsekanabo, Emmanuel Habimana, and Bazima Alex, from the Democratic Republic of Congo;
- Rana Family Nepali Food, produce and Nepali catering, owned by Yad Bahadur Rana and Menuka Magar from Nepal;
- Shaposhnyk’s Produce, owned by Ivan and Nadia from Ukraine;
- Dehgan Family Foods, produce and cottage goods owned by a family from Afghanistan;
- Seven Spring Fungi, mushrooms and mushroom products owned by Zhenya and Lubov from Ukraine
Two-thirds of an acre of farmland in Mountain View is an ever-changing palette of produce.
Photo Credit: Grow North Farm
New this year will be a daily farm stand, open weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. Customers can find fresh-picked produce and sample everything from Alaska classic farm fare to new-to-the-state varieties from around the globe. Shoppers qualifying for food assistance programs receive a 50 percent discount.
Also new this year are season-extending enhancements at the farm, including high tunnels and a greenhouse so farmers can grow a larger variety of produce over a longer season, which means a larger variety of fresh produce for customers.
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