Jo’s Table Alaska

When people talk about The Folk School, the typical response is, huh, what is that? or Is this here? What do they do? Is it a charter school ? Well, in reality, It’s a collective that teaches lots of arts, traditional crafts, outdoor skills of all kinds, building and crafting skills such as carpentry, blacksmithing, tool maintenance, etc. to people of all ages.  A place like a folk school provides a venue to share what you know and pass lifetimes of knowledge through generations.
The Folk School is an incredible Fairbanks institution, full of really friendly, talented people from a broad range of backgrounds, They have been around for over 25 years!
The Folk School offers classes and programs for all ages in a wide variety of hands-on disciplines including: traditional crafts, woodworking, fiber arts, boat building, wilderness skills, visual arts, music, farming, gardening, food preservation, log construction, and so much more!
Folk School is open year around, one of the foundational programs of The Folk School is Week in the Woods. This program stemmed from the idea that it is important to know the context of the materials we use in craft. Rather than make an object from materials you purchase in a store, it is far more informative and fun to harvest the materials yourself.
Check them out!  They are located in Fairbanks, Alaska in the Alaskaland park, Cabin 66. You probably have walked by it many times. Look them up on their website
https://folkschool
You will be amazed at the good woirk they do!

Does tea really grow anywhere other than India and China? Well, it can! even when its cold, dark and temeratures are -35 to -50 degrees fahrenheit.  It can grow in Faiurbanks Alaska and quite successfully.
Meet Jenny Tse, owner of Sipping Streams Tea Company in interior Alaska.  Her company is the only tea manufacturing company in Alaska, she has the only farthest north tea farm in the world, and of course now has successfully grown tea in Alaska using geothermal environment in high tunnels.
Her teas are award winning. Her best seller is 1000 mile tea that travels with the Yukon Quest mushers.  Take a listen to her interview with me.  You will get to know a young entreprenuer whose passion and "lets try" attitude is infectious and inspiring. 
If you can, get some of her teas, order online at www.sippingstreams.com or visit her retail store in Fairbanks.  
 

Meet 17 year old Liam Wade.  A senior in North Pole High School in Interior Alaska. He is self proclaimed Agriculturist, in fact he believes we are all Agriculturists in one form or another. His passion for Agriculture, Food Security and being a change leader in the agriculture revolution in Alaska is infectious and very inspiring.
He is bright, articulate, opinionated, has a great sense of humor, gives presentations all over the state and country about Agriculture in Alaska, he is also very knowledgeable about hydroponics, he grows Kale, Swiss Chard, Lettuce and all kinds of herbs in his school Hydroponic lab.
He is on the school’s cross-country ski and running teams, sits on Kids Voting board, represents the Fairbanks students on the Association of Student Government, active in Future Farmers of America, and he is a student representative on Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board. Somehow he finds time to even play video games. 
He strongly believes that Agricultural farming in Alaska is the future of farming in America. Such passion can only mean good things for Agriculture in Alaska. 
Take a listen!  You too will become a believer and be inspired. 
 

Chef George Easter not only creates magical cuisine that generates comments like, "he's a culinary genius", "his menus emulate the arctic skies", he is a strong food system leader. His focus is on being all that and also in creating upscale elegance in his restaurant where every plate tells a story. 
And what a story it is!  He deliberately and thoughtfully chooses local ingredients in every dish he prepares, this not only makes his menus unique and unexpected, it also creates a strong connection to the local Farmers, Ranchers and Alaskan Fisherman. 
George is Executive Chef at Latitude 65, a restaurant for the Borealis Base Camp in Fairbanks, Alaska.  George is also one of the top five chefs in Pacific Northwest. 
George is a strong supporter of local food systems, strong believer in sustainability and supports the community by holding charity dinners where all proceeds are distributed to agencies like Meals on Wheels and Soup Kitchen. 
He is a unique person that is strongly motivated and intrinsically inspired to give back to the community and believes that by supporting local farmers and ranchers he would strengthen their work efforts and inspire others to procure more, thus creating a demand so farmers can grow more. 
His dedication is extraordinary!  Please take a listen and if you are inspired by his story, please nominate him for the James Beard Award at... https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/how-to-enter

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/

Georgeson Botanical Garden is the the farthest north accredited Botanical garden in the United States. Thousands of people from around the world have visited Georgeson Botanical Garden to look at the beautiful peonies that bloom 120 miles south of the Arctic Circle.  
Display Gardens include Alaska’s famous giant cabbages, A spectacular children’s garden that boasts a hedge maze that spans two acres, a collection of peonies that showcase 118 plus cultivars and a food demonstration garden that showcases variety trial research of food plants that are most easily adaptive to climate of interior Alaska.  Thus answering the question, "what grows well here" ?
Take a listen to the wonderful story of the original experimental farm in Fairbanks that started in 1906, and then transitioned in to the botanical gardens that started evolving in 1989.
If you time it right, every Thursday evening there is Music in the garden from mid May to mid August.  Its free.  Bring your family, friends, a blanket and a picnic and enjoy some of the best music in Interior Alaska.