Agriculture the root of important Alaska industry

Long before the U.S. Census could tell us the Valley’s growth over the past couple of decades has outpaced the rest of the state, this area was a real growing concern.

Literally.

As outlined in today’s Valley Life section, the Matanuska Valley’s agriculture industry has strong roots going back to 1935. As original Colonists and their descendants celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first wave of New Dealers to populate the Valley, it’s a good time to reflect on the importance this vital industry has for our area and Alaska.

The first 204 families who originally settled here came for one reason — land. Most were farmers and, unlike today’s debate about preserving farmland in the face of progress, they were of a single goal. Although only about 175 acres of that free land had been cleared, these pioneers carved out lives for their families and planted the seeds for what would become our state’s breadbasket.

They soon found out what we know so well, that although the growing season is short, the long days of sunshine pack a wallop.

Look no further than the Alaska State Fair, which culminates in an annual celebration of giant vegetables. Wasilla dentist Steve Hubacek brought home the world record cabbage last year, weighing in with a 127-pound green-headed monster.

That’s a tad larger than the first-ever giant cabbage, which was grown by Colony nurse Max Sherrod. He earned a $2 prize for his 23-pound cabbage at the first Matanuska Valley Fair in 1936.

The prodigious produce was so impressive it prompted Col. Otto F. Ohlson in 1941, then head of the Alaska Railroad, to offer up a bounty on the Valley’s bounty — cold cash for the first 50-pound cabbage produced by a local grower. Again, Sherrod was up to the challenge.

From the early days of Matanuska Maid to the current debate in the Mat-Su Borough over spending government money to help preserve the Valley’s farmland, agriculture has been one of the strongest foundations of our past and holds even more promise for the future.

With summer in full bloom, the evidence is all around us, especially at local farmers’ markets. Enjoy the Valley’s produce and support our local growers, who continue an often thankless and necessary industry. It’s the best way to ensure that in another 75 years, we’ll continue to look back fondly on a healthy and vibrant agricultural community.