‘Know your food, know your farmer’: Big Lake farm opens u-pick season amid national parasite outbreak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A national outbreak of cyclospora , a parasite linked to contaminated fresh produce, has reached four more states as of Tuesday, though Alaska is not among them. Local epidemiologists said thoroughly washing fresh produce is one way to protect yourself — and one Big Lake farm is offering families a direct way to know their food source. Common Ground Alaska opened for its first “u-pick” week of the season, allowing visitors to harvest their own produce directly from the farm. “Your food just has so much more nutritional value because it hasn’t been sitting around for days, it’s picked ripe and it’s just better all around,” said Tandy Hogate, Common Ground Alaska co-owner. Common Ground Alaska sits on about 10 acres of land in Big Lake and grows golden raspberries, currants, potatoes and more.

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