GFC

Seeing red in 2009?   So was Carol Kenley, but for a very good reason.  With great enthusiasm,  "Let's talk rhubarb", says Carol.    The rhubarb plant is plentiful in Alaska and more recently harvesters, like Carol are collaborating on ways to better utilize it for cutting edge health and nutritional applications.   Carol is fortified by the spirit of her family's tradition - in fact they were Alaska's 2009 Farm Family.   

Kenley's Alaskan Vegetables and Flowers

Carol owns and operates Kenley’s Alaskan Vegetables and Flowers, located in the Matanuska Valley in southcentral  Alaska.   You may have met her at the South Anchorage Market on Wednesday's from July through September.   The summer farmers market has recently become the main outlet for her two-acre vegetable and flower farm.     She does have some long-term customers both consumers and wholesalers, such as Alaska Rootsellers and the Glacier Valley CSA who source product directly at the farm, but generally she's at the farmers market selling direct.

The farm is not new; in fact, Carol is part of a farm family (Kenley/Oberg) that was just this year recognized as "The Farm Family Of The Year" for Alaska.     Carol's parents, June and Clyde Oberg began selling milk from their Fishhook Dairy farm (Matanuska Valley) in 1954. On 160 acres they raised their own hay and wet silage, milking an average of 35 cows a day until 1973.  Carol (Oberg) Kenley and her seven children returned to farming on the Oberg-Kenley acreage in the mid-1980's.   "It wasn't really intentional", says Carol.   Her teen-age daughter Amy began selling vegetable baskets to nine customers with a weekly delivery route.   After six years, Rachel took over the business of serving up to 30 families with fresh produce from the family greenhouse and garden.  

Kenley’s Alaskan Vegetables and Flowers, is unique because although it is not a large farm, they intentionally mix it up with a bit of nearly everything that grows in Alaska.   Their product line includes artichokes, zucchini, many varieties of lettuce, beets, spinach, peas, kale, chards, green onions, radishes, carrots, summer squash, potatoes, cauliflower, corn, cold cabbage, cucumbers and more.

The Kids Are Gone, So Let's Talk Rhubarb

Now that the children are grown and gone, Carol has adopted the full-time business with intentions to expand her business opportunities. 

One such opportunity that captured Carol's attention has been on Alaskan Rhubarb.    She is working with other farmers to create a viable wholesale crop for Alaska's commercial restaurant and food service buyers.    They have formed the Alaska Rhubarb Company in 2009.   This effort of market substitution requires providing a consistent quality and supply to local markets and Carol recognizes that takes collaboration on many levels.   

She and the farmers are going from some of their own research, as well as relying on research contracted years earlier by the Matanuska Borough.    They know that beyond providing a consistent supply, they are tasked with doing the research and development on new products using rhubarb as an ingredient.     Initial studies already reveal that in a comparison between rhubarb and cranberries, rhubarb comes out "off the charts" higher in potassium and folate and significantly higher in  lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin K, beta carotene and magnesium.   Knowing that rhubarb is rich in vitamins, the Alaska Rhubarb Company is awaiting more recent anti-oxidant analysis.  In the meantime, however, her partner has been doing some test marketing of rhubarb lemonade, which is a big hit for its appealing taste.   Beyond the producers are looking at everything from food supplements, to beverages, to bakeries and restaurants who are seeking a new ingredient with great flavor.   

When asked how she would like to collaborate with others, Carol jumps at the opportunity to encourage commercial buyers to contact her and work with the Alaska Rhubarb Company to do continued test marketing throughout Alaska.  "In fact", Carol says, "she urges for those interested in collaborating on research and development, product development, marketing and networking with growers to contact her directly.   We need everyone."      

Carol, being a good steward of the land and lifelong farmer, also is identifying 100% utilization of the rhubarb and sees the opportunity to have a "super green" business promoting good health and good farming practices.   

Carol Kenley

Kenley’s Alaskan Vegetables and Flowers

907.745.4587