From self-sufficiency to saving money, some Alaskans are turning to gardening for a variety of reasons. It’s community gardens like this one, located just off Benson in Midtown, that allow people to grow everything from flowers to fruits and vegetables. Nick Riordan helps run the Midtown Community Garden. He’s also an avid gardener who grows much of his own food.
“Being able to grow your food is an amazing way to access healthy, nutritious food,” said Riordan. “I think it’s a great way to learn where your food comes from and appreciate all the work.”
The Midtown Community Garden has also been growing over the last few years.
“Each year we’ve been adding, you know, another five or ten garden beds over five years now,” Riordan said. “And those always get filled.”
Kristi Wood with Anchor Gardens says just having access to a community garden can make a big difference.
“We have a lot of people in Anchorage who don’t have access to their own land,” said Wood. “So with a community garden plot, they can still have access to grow their own food. There is so much you can do on a small 10 by 20 plot.”
She also says it’s not just about access, but that gardening could play a bigger role in Alaska’s future food security.
“Alaska should be looking at this very seriously,” said Wood. “We’re very remote. We have one major port for the state that’s in disrepair. Most of our food is imported. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
As the growing season continues, gardeners like Kristi and Nick say every seed planted helps strengthen the community and Alaska’s food future.
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