On April 11, Kellogg Campus hosted its first educational program in its new Agriculture Classroom! Four farmers from Grow North Farm in Anchorage came for a visit to learn about Spring Creek Farm’s season extension methods and the small, hand-powered farming tools that are used here. Grow North Farm is Anchorage’s largest urban farm, supporting 20 neighborhood farmers and 9 independent businesses, all of whom are of refugee or immigrant backgrounds.
Farm Manager Ben Swimm led the morning class, presenting the farm’s high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels. He also demonstrated some of the simple, affordable, and effective farm tools used at the Spring Creek Farm, such as the soil blocker, push seeder, and drill-powered greens harvester. Finally, everyone got to work starting seed trays to fill the two new growing shelves in the Agriculture Classroom, purchased specifically for the event. The group started 1,872 new plants – cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, leeks, and Bok choi! The Grow North Farmers will be growing and selling these vegetables under their agricultural businesses at various farmer’s markets and other venues around the city this summer. This event was supported by the Alaska Resilience Farms partnership.
