Locavore's Guide to the Holiday Table

Not only are we flower growers, but we are supporters and consumers of local foods! We grow, gather and hunt our own, support our Alaskan farmers and support our American farmers.

The more we can support our local farms, the better we can do in keeping land in agricultural production (and out of development and suburban sprawl). Local food and flowers are better for our families, our communities and our planet.

We want to support other farmers and we want to share with you how to fill your holiday table with local food.

VEGETABLES

Once the markets have closed these are my go-to sources for getting local veggies. In the summer there are so many more options but for now these folks have you covered.

Arctic Harvest Deliveries: offering weekly custom boxes YEAR ROUND full of fresh veggies sourced directly from Alaskan farms.

Arctic Organics: Veggies grown using organic methods in Palmer, Alaska. They offer weekly deliveries to Anchorage.

Anchorage Greens: Hydroponic greens grown all winter long. They offer a weekly subscription service that offers a “rotating selection of premium greens and herbs”.

Meat

There is lots of delicious meat in this state! This is not a comprehensive list. Please comment below if you have other farms that you purchase from.

Arctic Harvest Deliveries: These guys also source meat for you so you don’t have to. But if you’d rather buy direct from a farmer read below!

Blood Sweat & Food Farm: Chicken, pork, meat subscription boxes, eggs and more! Check them out. Kenai Peninsula

Lunachick Farm: Hens, ducks, pork, eggs, goats, etc. Located in Anchor Point. They offer weekly deliveries to Anchorage. We just bought 3 laying ducks from them. We’re still figuring out all things regarding duck care but are having fun doing it :)

Luke's Poultry Ranch: Chicken and Thanksgiving turkeys grown in the Big Lake area. I just reached out to them via Facebook and they have turkeys available NOW!! Don’t delay, cause they’ll be sold out quickly!

Seafood

While most of us fish to fill our freezers, buying from fisherman is always a great plan B. And honestly we bought in all our fish this year. We purchased whole fish and processed them in the back yard. It saved us the time spent traveling to and from Kenai. And it saved us from not knowing if we’d actually fill our freezers!

Su Salmon Co: They’re sold out for 2020 but just wanted to list them here because this is where we bought whole fish to fill our freezer. And Alaskans, don’t get too snobby here - Chum are a delicious and inexpensive way to load your freezer. We just cooked up a few fillets last night: DELISH!

Copper Valley Fish Collective: When not on their boat these guys are our backyard neighbors! They offer wild Alaskan Salmon Shares and amazing smoked salmon.

Catch 49: Salmon, halibut, prawns, canned items, smoked salmon and more!

Alaskas Own: Alaska's first CSF (Community Supported Fishery). Based in Sitka, AK. Pick up locations in Anchorage.

Flowers

Turnstone Farm: Last but not least you want local beauty. Imported flowers are hard on the planet and often sprayed heavily.

We're here for you! During the spring and summer months WE GROW FLOWERS for your table.

During the winter months we source American Grown flowers to make your special occasions absolutely elegant. Be on the look out for our newest offering: we’re doing flowers for the holidays!!! Thanksgiving, The Winter Holiday of Your Choice and Valentines Day.

If you enjoyed this guide please share it with your friends!

5 Easy Tips for a Longer Lasting Bouquet

I want to make sure you get the most out of your flowers this summer!

Here are 5 easy tips to make your bouquet last as long as possible.

1. BUY LOCAL - When you buy our Summer Bouquet Subscription, you’ve checked this one off the list! Local flowers are often picked day of sale which means they are the freshest you can find anywhere.

2. RE-CUT STEMS - When you get your flowers home, snip the end of each stem with clean, sharp scissors then place in water. Re-cut stems every few days.

3. FRESH WATER - Place your bouquet in cool tap water. Keep vase nice and full, since flowers can really suck up the water. Replace water every 2-3 days, or daily if you can!

4. PLACEMENT - Place your flowers in a cool part of the house, out of direct sunlight and away from appliances that give off heat. Heat significantly decreases vase life. If you’re really hard-core about extending the vase life of your flowers, you can even place your flower arrangement in the fridge overnight. Take it out in the morning and enjoy!

5. REMOVE FADED BLOOMS - Not all flowers have the same vase life. Some are fleeting and ephemeral and may only last 3-4 days, others will last a solid 7-10 days! As your bouquet ages, remove tired-looking flowers but leave good looking ones in place. Re-arrange as needed!

3 Ways to Get Flowers this Summer!

With all the uncertainty surrounding the world these days I wanted to come up with some sure-fire ways to get my “flowers to the people” this spring and summer!

I don’t know if farmers markets will be open this year and if they are I’m not counting on flowers being “essential” enough to be part of them.

Read on to find out details about how to get your Turnstone Flowers this summer!

1) HOME DELIVERY

Home deliveries will start in late May (and will be the only way to purchase my amazing and unique tulips bunches! CAN I JUST SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THESE TULIPS!!??).

You will be able to order a medium or large, lush market bouquet or a seasonal bloom arrangement through my on-line shop. These will be delivered to your home or the home of someone you love within the Anchorage bowl for no additional charge.

Each Monday I’ll input my inventory then will send a notification email (so get on my email list if you’re not already!). Each Wednesday I’ll close my shop so I can put together my orders. Each Thursday I’ll deliver!

I have prices set but know that these may change as the blooming season draws closer.

Due to the nature of our current global and community situation I will be very picky about how I deliver. Here’s the scoop:

Deliveries can be to homes or businesses but I cannot enter a building to deliver. I will also follow strict social distancing and will not deliver to you in person. I won’t even knock on your door! I will leave your bouquet in a jar or bucket (that you leave for me) outside your front door.

Make sure you (or the bouquet recipient) leaves a jar with water, or bucket with water, in a shady spot near the front entrance. I will text the recipient right after I drop the bouquet. If a jar is not available, I will leave the bouquet sitting near front door. Please grab it as soon as possible :)

2) BOUQUET SUBSCRIPTIONS

Thanks to everyone who has already purchased a 2020 Bouquet subscription!!! I’m so grateful to all my past and present subscribers.

This year I am offering 3 different options for bouquet subscriptions: 1) an “every week” option that will give you bouquets once per week for 10 weeks, 2) an “every other week” option that will give you a bouquet every other week and 3) a “once per month” option that will give you one bouquet during the months of July, August and September.

HEAD OVER HERE to see pricing for 2020 subscriptions and to sign up! I hope this makes it more affordable and convenient for everyone who wants to participate.

As of now, you have 5 different options for pick-up. I added 2 new pick up sites! Please know that I may be re-organizing pick-up options as the COVID situation progresses. I WILL LET EVRYONE KNOW BY MID-JUNE! Thanks for being flexible :)

3) ADD ON TO FIRE ISLAND OR ARCTIC HARVEST DELIVERIES

I’m super happy that this year, in lieu of my farmers market, I am partnering with 2 businesses to have my bouquets as an add-on product to their on-line shop. Although I will miss the market and I will miss seeing your face, I am so thankful to have another option to get “flowers to the people”!

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop is doing home delivery and curbside pick up. READ MORE HERE

Arctic Harvest Delivery is also adding my flowers to their on-line ordering program. READ MORE HERE

My flowers will be available to add on to your Fire Island or Arctic Harvest order starting in June (as long as this snow melts quickly!).

And finally a note about my harvest process in regards to sanitation.

This year, more than ever I have sanitation as one of my top priorities. This is not something flower farmers have had to really think too much about in the past, but alas here we are.

1) Harvest - flowers risk very little contamination risk in the field. There is ample growing space and only myself and maybe one other helper is ever out there tending. There’s rain, sun and wind to dilute and keep tings cleanly!

All harvest is done with gloves and a mask. Flowers are bundled and put into sanitized buckets and are then left to condition overnight.

2) Arranging - Flowers are arranged on day 2, after they have had a chance to condition in a cool spot.

All arranging is done on a sanitized table while I am wearing gloves and a mask. They are then wrapped in a paper sleeve and put back in clean sanitized buckets for delivery.

3) Delivery - I deliver all bouquets out of my personal vehicle. All high touch areas are sanitized before loading.

When off-loading your bouquet, I wear gloves and a mask to deliver your bouquet to your doorstep. I won’t ring your door bell, won’t knock on your door, and won’t even touch your jar or bucket that you leave out. Once you receive your flowers you can recycle the paper sleeve and arrange your bouquet to your liking.

ENJOY IT and let it MAKE YOU HAPPY!