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Can someone tell me why Americans don't invest in growing food in Alaska? I understand that things grow much more in all that extra daylight. I know that night is deppressing there and presents a logistical challenge, but still.

Morty_Frey 4 Dec 20
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Think of Russia. Beets, carrots, potatoes and cabbage do very well.

Even in Canada, most citrus has to be imported as the growing season is short.

It’s been mentioned here in Texas we have two growing seasons.

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Alaska has a very short growing season. Places like south Texas can have two or more growing seasons a year depending on the vegetable.

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Some do for pot. And big Pumpkins. Conditions most likely for return on the dollar as farming is a hit or miss money maker, especially at small levels. Just saw a chart. The U.S. only uses one third or less of its produced crops to feed its population. The rest goes to exports, of course, a huge amount to animal feed, and for corn - ethanol.

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Have you ever lived there? I have.
Live there and you’ll understand the problems with the cost and logistics for what you propose.

Expenses to get started, cost of transportation, dealing with dark and cold of winter, what do your workers do during the off season?....all of these are prohibitive when all you are really trying to do is capitalize on the sunshine of the months of May through August. It’s just not worth it.

Issues regarding the logistics were up to my whim and light research up to now. Your own thoughts are helpful as I clearly haven't lived in Alaska. I can name jobs that provide little to no work in the off season. I'd consider creative sources of energy and technology to resolve the obvious kinks in this proposition. You do raise a fantastic point about transportation and raising the capital to start such an operation. Maybe not in Alaska, but there must be nations willing and able to try this..like China with their demand for greater sources of food for example.

@Morty_Frey
Reasearch the population of Alaska. And look at a map of the roads/highways. ?

You have no idea what isolation feels like until you move there. Beautiful place....but damn I hated it there.

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Anything that requires a long growing season is out of the question, as is anything requiring hot weather. Cabbages have been known to do well.

For somewhere so cold, I'd imagine the use of a micro-climate and artificial lighting in the off season...if possible.

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You noticed how cold it is there for a start?

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Transportation costs, for one thing.

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Transportation may be one factor. I know it's why so many things are expensive there. I know a master gardener in Fairbanks, and it actually takes a lot of skill to grow healthy gardens in that climate/terroir, even with the longer days in summer. They do get some freakishly big plants sometimes.

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