Hello 2023!
We can't believe that 2023 is already here, but hope that you had a restful and rejuvenating holiday season. We have some exciting events and trainings coming up soon, including our Summit & Annual Meeting, and hope you'll join us to kick off 2023 with local foods and markets in mind!
Plus, meet our new Local Foods Coordinator, Claire, below! :)
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Multi-State Market Manager Boot Camp
February 9th & 10th
Boot Camp is designed for new (and returning) managers who may have just been hired and are in a mad sprint to their first opening day. It’s the basics brought to you by farmers market managers with practical know-how, energy saving tips, and emotional support. We also welcome board members who may not yet realize the full picture of what markets managers do so they can be better advocates.
We’re super excited to work hand-in-hand with six other Farmers Market Associations and Networks so we’re continuing to all learn together. Everyone is welcome!
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WELCOME Claire Marshalek!
One thing to know about Claire is that she believes some of the most meaningful connections can be made in the stillness of nature or over fresh food. Five years ago she moved to Seward and began working in the backcountry. After a few years in the field, she began spending her free days in town organizing and managing the Seward Farmers Market. The return to town always felt like a return home where she would convene over fresh local food with incredible company. She has previous experience organizing Food Coalitions, starting two Farmers Markets, teaching youth in the outdoors, cooking over fires, and paddling endless miles along the Alaskan coast. She’s excited to grow with AFMA and build deeper connections with our local food system.
Claire is a rockstar market manager and passionate local food leader, and we are so excited to have her on the AFMA team. In addition to being our new local foods coordinator, Claire has been working on a new, exciting double up program for AFMA that will roll out this year. The program will focus on farmers markets that accept SNAP and signing new markets up to accept SNAP, and provide matching funds for SNAP recipients to use at their market. Meet Claire during our upcoming Summit & Annual Meeting, March 24th, and learn more about this exciting project from her!
Contact Claire via email at foodaccess@alaskafarmersmarkets.org.
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AFMA Summit & Annual Meeting!
March will be here before we know it! Join us for a day dedicated to all things farmers market! Featuring our keynote speaker, Ziona Brownlow from Food for Thought in Anchorage (see below). Special guest speakers, government agencies, annual meeting, social media, grants, and so much more! Schedule TBD – check back regularly for updates as we approach the spring! Registration is free but required.
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Meet our Summit keynote speaker,
Ziona Brownlow!
Food for Thought Alaska (FFTA) originated in 2018 as a local food blog written by our founder Ziona Brownlow. The Food for Thought Alaska blog and social media presence promoted the empowerment of the Anchorage community’s dollar vote by highlighting small, locally owned, businesses and their stories.
After the pandemic, the “shop small & eat local” culture hosted in our foodie community quickly morphed into a civic call to action. While blogging paused, our founders vision shifted from small businesses and restaurants to the employees forced into unemployment, to the families who were just getting by before the shutdowns, and to the alarming increase of homelessness service use in Anchorage. Quickly becoming aware of the barriers accompanied with accessing resources, especially since the pandemic, Ziona knew there was an important conversation to bring to the table about food security in Anchorage. Food for Thought has grown into a grassroots cooperative with the mission to feed neighbors, increase awareness of food insecurities in Alaska, and amplify community voices.
Keep an eye out for more Summit details as we finalize our schedule in the coming weeks, and make sure to register above so you don't miss out on hearing from our amazing keynote speaker, Ziona!
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The FIRST Beginning & Young Farmers Network meeting is happening January 27th from 1-2:30 PM. Save the date! We would love to have you join us to learn more about the Alaska chapter of beginning & young farmers that is kicking off, meet the project coordinator, Kyra, and make connections with others who are starting their farming journey!
Mark your calendars and register for the meeting below:
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Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
February 21, 2023
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Municipal Building Assembly Chambers
12 South Nordic Drive
Petersburg, AK 99833
AFMA is a proud sponsor of the Southeast Farmers Summit where this training will take place!
Register at the Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit website (select your ticket type, checkout, and then select the appropriate checkbox on the next screen).
Registration closes February 8, 2023.
See more information on flyer below:
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Are you interested in working on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast? Workers needed at Gale Force Gardens for spring 2023 season! Come for as little as a week or as much as a month. Anyone who is interested should read the description in its entirety before contacting them.
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The Sitka Local Foods Network is seeking a manager to coordinate the 2023 Sitka Farmers Markets this summer. This is a contract position, and the manager receives a small compensation, depending on experience, for his or her contract work organizing the farmers markets this summer. The manager receives a monthly check for the five months from May through September. This will be the 16th year of operation for the Sitka Farmers Market, which features 6-8 markets during the summer from July through September.
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