When Liam Wade, 17, tells people he wants to be a farmer, he often gets a puzzled look. After all, he lives just 90 miles south of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can plunge to -60°F, and daylight disappears for months at a time. In northern Alaska, growing seasons last eight weeks at best. But for Wade, the harsh conditions of Alaska aren't limitations — they're motivation.
"People keep asking me, 'Why even try in Alaska?'" Wade said. "But that's exactly the point — trying, even when it's hard, is what agriculture is all about."
Wade, a senior at North Pole High School and the 2025-2026 Alaska FFA State Vice President, isn't just dreaming about farming in one of the country's most extreme environments — he's doing it. In a dark garage warmed by LED lights, he's growing fresh herbs and vegetables using hydroponic systems he built himself. And his produce doesn't just feed his curiosity; it feeds his community.
"It was -60 degrees outside, and I was harvesting fresh lettuce," he said. "There's nothing better than that feeling when it's dark 23 hours of the day. That's when I realized this isn't just a project. This is a possibility."
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