Fairbanks residents are turning green thumbs into greenbacks through the gardening classes 2025 by the Soil and Water Conservation District. These summer classes are part of the Alternative Fairbanks Farm and Educational Cooperative Training, also known as AFFECT.
Now in its fourth year, the program teaches aspiring growers how to transform their gardening skills into small business ventures. The program focuses on market gardening, a scale of growing that allows individuals to sell at local farmers’ markets.
The program accepted 15 students this summer, selected through an application and interview process based on interest and experience. Limited class sizes make transporting students between several farms and gardens used for training easier.
Students meet weekly through August at local sites, including Goosefoot Farm, Frontiers Farm, and FSWCD’s garden at Corinthian Baptist Church. Classes focus on practical lessons, including how to grow food successfully in Alaska’s challenging interior environment.
In addition to instruction, students complete hands-on tasks like installing drip irrigation systems, prepping fields, or learning advanced weeding methods. Program participation is free, though students may need to cover travel, which is often reimbursed.
Sessions run every Monday evening from late May through August. As these classes continue, locals discover that cultivating food can increase opportunity and community resilience across Alaska’s interior.
