A Taste of Togetherness: The Power of Community in Local Food Systems

— Kyra Harty

“This partnership has impacted our village and community program positively. I did not know some of the vegetables…the Elders had stories of how they would prepare [them].  It was very exciting to get fresh vegetables and get help with preparation tips for the [ones] I never worked with or seen before, and the Elders would be so excited to see what comes in each week. We all here in Nanwalek want to thank the Food Hub, Guyanakcak- big thank you!”

The Alaska Food Hub received this message and a vibrant hand-drawn card from Anthony Brewster while we fetched our empty bins and cooler at Smokey Bay Air’s office. The week before, the tote sent to Nanwalek held 64 pounds of local produce and smoked salmon, accompanied with a cooler of frozen Alaskan Grown poultry. This weekly exchange of local food and wholesome communication between Brewster, Nanwalek IRA Council’s Community Health Resource / Cook for their Elder Tea program, and Food Hub’s Manager, Kyra Harty, has been regular since the 2023 season. Often their messages would only be photos back and forth. Harty would send photos of the invoices detailing the difference between a bok choi and a tatsoi, a recipe of how to ferment kimchi with the daikon radishes and napa cabbages, ideas of what to do with the bundles of garlic scapes, or simply, a photo of the week’s veggie-load with the words, “Heavy! Consider bringing extra hands and a wheeler when you pick-up today!” Brewster would send back mouth watering pictures of chopped broccoli, carrots, and cabbage sauteed with ground moose, or hearty stew filled with colorful combinations like tomatoes and braising greens, and photos of tables set with mashed potatoes, pork roast, giant salads, and happy faces. 

It is this type of sharing that has made Cook Inletkeeper’s local food program shine. These types of partnerships bring us closer in alignment with our original goals of starting the Food Hub.

Back in 2015, this project was co-created with many supporting organizations and businesses aimed at expanding access to local foods on the Kenai Peninsula. Its intention was to benefit farmers and producers as well as individual consumers, especially those who desired more local foods but had limited access. Since the launch in 2016, we achieved many of these targets- arguably, all of them. However, we fell short in one of our earliest goals of implementing EBT/QUEST (aka: SNAP, formally known as food stamps) into the program for low-income families, but it wasn’t due to a lack of trying. Rather, we ran up against federal limitations within USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. Barriers like: being unable to accept SNAP online, or the ability to obtain SNAP retail authorization because we do not own the products, and also don’t fall under the definition of a “farmers market” to receive an exemption like other in-person markets. 

Nevertheless, the work continued, and Inletkeeper carried the fiscal sponsorship of Alaska Food Hub for many more seasons than they initially planned when launching the pilot of this project because of their commitment to tackling climate change at its source rather than merely addressing food insecurity as a symptom. And as a result, Alaska Food Hub has operated for nine seasons! Though the details of this success are actually rather mundane, filled with behind-the-scenes work, and built on trusting relationships- the work led to the many notable watershed moments we’ve had. For example, Alaska Food Hub continuously operated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and adapted to swell with a 143% increase in revenue in a single year. Our model kept our team and community members safe, highlighted the importance of nutritious food, and kept money circulating in our local economy. 

Simultaneously, we witnessed and experienced multiplying effects nationally and internationally, calling for the need to center racial equality and address systemic injustices. Through this deterioration of our global food chain supply, a new and promising path of Farm to Food Assistance emerged as the Alaska Farmers Market Association and the Alaska Division of Agriculture administered funds from a USDA program called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). 

LFPA funding enables nutrient-dense foods to reach communities that need them, ensuring the prioritization of locally sourced products and providing opportunities for self-determination, food sovereignty, and freedom to learn about seasonal vegetables. At the same time, LFPA also emphasizes paying farmers fair prices for their products, which sustains their efforts and keeps them farming. This dual benefit is essential for fostering a healthier community and ensuring the longevity of our local food systems. 

“The impact simply was that our sales increased. I loved knowing that our homegrown food went to folks who needed it. I believe in service to our community, but have little cash to donate as farming is my only source of income. It felt great to know that those receiving our organic produce did not have to pay for it,” says Lori Jenkins, owner of Synergy Gardens. 

A new farmer in Nikolaevsk, Tilted Hills Farms, adds, “The LFPA funding for the Alaska Food Hub has been immensely helpful in assisting my farm in its start-up/scaling up phase…the LFPA funding allowed me to sell at a scale that was economical and attainable for me without risking waste or loss. I LOVED knowing that my healthy, high-quality food was reaching communities that need it without feeling guilty that my prices were set at a rate that was sustainable for me to keep farming. This funding is so critical in supporting the growth and incubation of local agriculture, beginning farmers, and aging farmers alike.”  

In 2023, Alaska became the final state to accept SNAP online, and although there is a lot more work to be done, this is a stepping stone to a path that allows more support for local farmers and access to healthy local food for individuals and families. Similarly, for the emerging Farm and Food Assistance pathways, and the renewal of LFPA for 2025, Inletkeeper’s support has allowed over $25,000 worth of Alaska Food Hub products to be distributed to community organizations, like Nanwalek’s Elder Tea Program, over the last few years. 

Because of Inletkeeper’s support and dedication to the Alaska Food Hub these past nine years we have been able to advocate for a more equitable future and to participate in opportunities that allow transformation. As we reflect on the success and growth of the Alaska Food Hub these past nine years, it’s clear that Alaska’s local food journey is just beginning, and we are grateful to have played a small part. 

Thank you for believing in a healthier, more equitable local food system. 

Learn More at the Alaska Farmers Market Association. www.alaskafarmersmarkets.org