Save Farms! fundraising event draws large turnout

PALMER — The 2024 Save Farms! event hosted by the Alaska Farmland Trust drew a sizable crowd at Hamilton Farms Saturday, June 1.

“It was great. We had a great turnout,” Alaska Farmland Trust Farmland Conservation Director Phoebe Autry, Farmland Conservation Director said.

The Save Farms! event featured craft beer, cider, soda, kombucha, and several local food trucks. There were also fire pits to gather around and family friendly activities such as cornhole.

“It's always such a fun event,” Autry said.

The event also featured live music performed by Hope Social Club. Autry said they've been the designated musical act for the last two years and it's been a great fit for the event.

“Hope Social Club always throws a fun party," Autry said.

According to Autry, Save Farms! is the Farmland Trust’s largest fundraiser of the year. She said they were able to raise about $16,000 this year. Collected funds support the non-profit organization's overall efforts working to preserve farm properties to sustain local agriculture.

While the Farmland Trust works across the state, it primarily focuses on projects in the Mat-Su Valley, according to Autry.

“This is where some of our best agricultural land is,” Autry said.

One of the most recent Farmland Trust projects was the preservation of the Moffitt Farm in Palmer.

Autry said their current big project centers around preserving the Grover Farm along the Matanuska River in Palmer. She said the 120-acre property will be the biggest project to date.

Autry said that maintaining farms in Alaska is important for various reasons, namely due to the fact that only 5 percent of the food consumed in the state is actually grown here. She said Alaska is heavily dependent on imports so any and all efforts enriching the local agriculture community will change that.

“We want to retain the ability to grow food for our residents and we can't do that if we don't have the land,” Autry said.

The Farmland Trust has a board of directors with community members from all walks of life. Autry said their board is very passionate about saving Farms from development and helping Alaskan agriculture thrive.

“They all care deeply about farming,” Autry said.

The Farmland Trust also has numerous volunteers who help with the various events and activities throughout the year.

“We have a great group that we can call on," Autry said.

Autry said the Farmland Trust has saved hundreds of acres from development over the course of nearly two decades. She said they operate primarily through donor support.

“We definitely need support from Alaskans who care about farmland.

For more information about Alaska Farmland Trust and how to support their cause, visit akfarmland.com.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com