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Scenes from the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the 2022 summer

PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
Sitka Farmers Market volunteers Daniel Asanji (exchange student from Cameroon), left; Sadija Masic (Bosnia-Herzegovina), third from left; Imane Baghouri (Morocco), second from right; and Trish White, right, present the Table of the Day Award for Aug. 13 to Andrea Fraga of Middle Island Gardens. That was the last day of National Farmers Market Week. Andrea sold a variety of fresh produce, including lettuce, kale, zucchini, carrots, turnips, beets, garlic, and more. She received a Sitka Local Foods Network tote bag, two Sitka Farmers Market special label chocolate bars, Moosetard Lead Dog BBQ sauce, Foraged & Found kelp salsa, Alaska Flour Company barley couscous, and other prizes. The next Sitka Farmers Market is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall (235 Katlian Street). The last markets of the season are on Sept. 10 and Sept. 24. We still have room for vendors, and vendors can register online (by Thursday morning on market week) at https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com. More details about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.

Aug. 7-13 was National Farmers Market Week, and we celebrated with our fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the season on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall. This is our 15th season of markets.

We appreciate everybody who made this market season a success, especially all of our vendors, volunteers, and customers who wore masks to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. When the city’s Covid-19 risk level is high, we require masks inside ANB Hall. If the city’s Covid-19 risk drops to medium, we recommend people wear masks inside.

We didn’t have as many booths as in previous years, but the smaller markets seemed to have worked. We still had fresh local produce, as well as a variety of Alaska Grown value-added products, local eggs, mushrooms, and arts and crafts. The Sitka Local Foods Network farm stand accepts and matches WIC coupons and SNAP EBT benefits.

Our markets the rest of the season are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, Aug. 27, Sept. 10, and 24, at the ANB Founders Hall, 235 Katlian Street. Potential vendors can register and pay their vendor fees by going to https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com (please register by the Thursday morning of market week). More information about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.

A slideshow of scenes from the fourth market of the summer is posted below.

  • PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK Sitka Farmers Market volunteers Daniel Asanji (exchange student from Cameroon), left; Sadija Masic (Bosnia-Herzegovina), third from left; Imane Baghouri (Morocco), second from right; and and Trish WHite, right, present the Table of the Day Award for JAug. 13 to Andrea Fraga of Middle Island Gardens. Aug. 13 was the last day of National Farmers Market Week. Andrea sold a variety of fresh produce, including lettuce, kale, zucchini, carrots, turnips, beets, garlic, and more. She received a Sitka Local Foods Network tote bag, two Sitka Farmers Market special label chocolate bars, Moosetard Lead Dog BBQ sauce, Foraged & Found kelp salsa, Alaska Flour Company barley couscous, and other prizes. The next Sitka Farmers Market is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall (235 Katlian Street). The last markets of the season are on Sept. 10 and Sept. 24. We still have room for vendors, and vendors can register online (by Thursday morning on market week) at https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com. More details about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.
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Scenes from the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer

PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
TABLE OF THE DAY: Sitka Local Foods Network board president Charles Bingham, right, presents the Sitka Farmers Market Table of the Day Award for Aug. 7 to Kaleb Aldred, left, and Andrea Fraga of Middle Island Gardens. Andrea and Kaleb sold a variety of fresh veggies grown in their garden. Andrea and Kaleb received a certificate, a tote bag, a bag of Alaska Flour Company barley pancake flour, a bottle of Bridge Creek Birch Syrup, two Sitka Farmers Market special label chocolate bars, and a jar of Moosetard mustards. Aug. 1-7 was National Farmers Market Week. The next Sitka Farmers Market is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, on the plaza outside Harrigan Centennial Hall. Vendors can register online (by Thursday, Aug. 19) at https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com. More details about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.

It was National Farmers Market Week on Aug. 1-7, and the Sitka Local Foods Network celebrated with its fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer on Saturday, Aug. 7. There was a bit of rain before the market, but it dried up to only a few sprinkles during the market.

Due to a growing COVID-19 count, we instituted a face mask policy this summer to try and protect our customers and vendors from the coronavirus. That face mask policy will be in force when we hold our fourth Sitka Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, on the plaza outside Harrigan Centennial Hall. We ask all customers and vendors to wear masks.

The markets are being held outside this year to try and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We haven’t had as many booths as in previous years, but the smaller market seems to be working. We still have fresh local produce, as well as a variety of Alaska Grown value-added products, local eggs, mushrooms, and arts and crafts. We should have some cooked food at Saturday’s market. We do have a couple of new vendors registered for this market, and we’d love to see a fish vendor or a baked goods vendor, too.

The Sitka Local Foods Network needs a volunteer or two to help set up the market, sell produce during the market, and take down the market after it’s over. If you’re interested in helping us with the market, contact Charles Bingham at (907) 623-7660 or Nalani James at (808) 778-9888.

We also are recruiting new vendors, and they can register and pay their vendor fees by going to https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com. More information about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.

The Sitka Local Foods Network does take WIC farmers market coupons and Alaska Quest SNAP EBT cards, and offers a matching program for produce purchased at the SLFN farm stand (if you buy $5 of produce, you will receive $10 worth).

A slideshow of scenes from the fourth market of the summer is posted below.

  • FARMERS MARKET WEEK – Kaleb Aldred and Andrea Fraga, at right, sell produce picked from their Middle Island gardens during the Sitka Local Foods Network’s Sitka Farmers Market Saturday outside Harrigan Centennial Hall. The U.S. secretary of agriculture proclaimed August 1-7 National Farmers Market Week, to champion the work of direct-to-consumer producers, market managers and customers. (Daily Sitka Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
  • PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK Sitka Local Foods Network board president Charles Bingham, right, presents the Sitka Farmers Market Table of the Day Award for Aug. 7 to Kaleb Aldred, left, and Andrea Fraga of Middle Island Gardens. Andrea and Kaleb sold a variety of fresh veggies grown in their garden. Andrea and Kaleb received a certificate, a tote bag, a bag of Alaska Flour Company barley pancake flour, a bottle of Bridge Creek Birch Syrup,, two Sitka Farmers Market special label chocolate bars, and a jar of Moosetard mustards. Aug. 1-7 was National Farmers Market Week. The next Sitka Farmers Market is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, on the plaza outside Harrigan Centennial Hall. Vendors can register online (by Thursday, Aug. 19) at https://sitkafarmersmarket.eventsmart.com. More details about the Sitka Local Foods Network and Sitka Farmers Market can be found at http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org.
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Scenes from the Sitka Kitch’s second Winter Baking Series: Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice class

Students learned how to make make sourdough bread during the fourth class of the Sitka Kitch‘s Winter Baking Series, Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice (Take Two), on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Sitka Kitch rental commercial kitchen. This was the second time Carolyn taught the class, after several people weren’t able to get into her first class on Jan. 14.

Carolyn is an Alaska Fellow working with the Sitka Conservation Society and USDA Forest Service, and her class taught how to create and feed a sourdough starter, as well as how to bake sourdough bread using a variety of bread flours. She also explained why she named her sourdough starter Xavier and why others should give their starters a name. Students were able to take home a small bit of Xavier so they could build their own sourdough starters, and they each took home a ball of bread dough to proof overnight and bake the next day.

The next class in the Winter Baking Series will be Brioche (and Pizza) with Andrew Jylkka, who just moved to Sitka from Wrangell and bakes for Beak Restaurant. This class will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. (note earlier start time) on Tuesday, March 17, at the Sitka Kitch. The class costs $40 ($30 for Sitka Food Co-op members who are current on their dues, only one discount per family), and the registration deadline is late night on Sunday, March 15.

After that, the next class in the series will be Dumplings With Serena Tang, from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, at the Sitka Kitch. Serena, who is of Chinese-Malaysian descent, will teach Asian-style dumplings (probably cabbage and pork) that can be modified for people with different dietary needs. The class costs $40 ($30 for Sitka Food Co-op members who are current on their dues, only one discount per family), and the registration deadline is late night on Sunday, March 22.

More classes in the series will be announced as their information is finalized.

Also, the Sitka Kitch is hosting a vegetarian Indian food buffet fundraiser and silent auction from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, at Beak Restaurant. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the silent auction closes at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited for this event, so register early (this event is starting to fill up and will close soon). The cost is $40, with all proceeds going to the Sitka Kitch to promote new classes.

A slideshow of scenes from the sourdough bread class is posted below.

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Scenes from the Sitka Kitch’s Winter Baking Series class Challah With Robin Sherman

Students learned how to make challah during the third class of the Sitka Kitch‘s Winter Baking Series, Challah With Robin Sherman, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Sitka Kitch rental commercial kitchen.

Robin grew up in New York City, so she enjoys good challah. Students learned how to make the dough, how to proof the dough, and how to weave it into shape. They also learned why sometimes challah is woven and sometimes it’s in a spiral shape. Challah is a traditional bread of Jewish origin.

The next class in the Winter Baking Series is a second Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice class, which takes place from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Sitka Kitch. This class is full, and people will need to contact Chandler or Clarice at Sitka Conservation Society (747-7509) to get on the waiting list. Carolyn taught another class on baking sourdough bread on Jan. 14 to open the Winter Baking Series, and there was enough popular demand for her to teach a second class.

After that, the next class in the series will be Brioche (and Pizza) with Andrew Jylkka, who just moved to Sitka from Wrangell and bakes for Beak Restaurant. This class will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. (note earlier start time) on Tuesday, March 17, at the Sitka Kitch. The class costs $40 ($30 for Sitka Food Co-op members who are current on their dues, only one discount per family), and the registration deadline is late night on Sunday, March 15. More classes in the series will be announced as their information is finalized.

Also, the Sitka Kitch is hosting a vegetarian Indian food buffet fundraiser and silent auction from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, at Beak Restaurant. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the silent auction closes at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited for this event, so register early (this event is starting to fill up and will close soon). The cost is $40, with all proceeds going to the Sitka Kitch to promote new classes. A slideshow of scenes from the bagels class is posted below.

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Scenes from the Sitka Kitch’s Winter Baking Series class Bagels With Robin Sherman

Students learned how to make bagels during the second class of the Sitka Kitch‘s Winter Baking Series, Bagels With Robin Sherman, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Sitka Kitch rental commercial kitchen.

Robin grew up in New York City, so she enjoys a good bagel. Students learned how to make the dough, which includes barley malt syrup, flour, salt, and water. They also learned how to shape the bagels, how to boil them to set them, and then how to bake them.

The next class in the Winter Baking Series is a second Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice class, which takes place from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Sitka Kitch (note the earlier starting time than our usual evening classes). This class costs $40 ($30 for Sitka Food Co-op members who are current on their dues), and the registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. Carolyn taught another class on baking sourdough bread on Jan. 14 to open the Winter Baking Series, and there was enough popular demand for her to teach a second class. More classes in the series will be announced as their information is finalized.

Also, the Sitka Kitch is hosting a vegetarian Indian food buffet fundraiser and silent auction from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, at Beak Restaurant. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the silent auction closes at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited for this event, so register early. The cost is $40, with all proceeds going to the Sitka Kitch to promote new classes.

A slideshow of scenes from the bagels class is posted below.

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Scenes from the sixth Sitka Farmers Market of the 2019 summer

PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
TABLE OF THE DAY: Sitka Farmers Market manager Nina Vizcarrondo, right, presents the Table of the Day award to Nalani James, second from right, her son, Lennox, left, and daughter, Ilima, during the sixth Sitka Farmers Market of the 2019 summer season, held Sept. 7, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall. Nalani sold a variety of baked goods, including chocolate chip cookies, lemon bars, muffins with local berries and carrot cake. She received a certificate, a Sitka Farmers Market tote bag, a Sitka Local Foods Network apron, a Redoubt Rhubarb t-shirt, some salad mix, beets and chard from St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm, some taster straws of Bridge Creek Birch Syrup, a Chugach Chocolate candy bar, a jar of Evie’s Brinery fermented food, and some Barnacle Foods kelp salsa. The Sitka Farmers Market recently was listed on the Exceptional Markets list by the Certified Naturally Grown program. The last Sitka Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, at ANB Founders Hall (235 Katlian St.), plus there will be a Sitka Local Foods Network farm stand at the Running of the Boots event on Sept. 28 at Totem Square park. For more information, go to http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org, or like our Sitka Local Foods Network page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SitkaLocalFoodsNetwork, and our Sitka Farmers Market page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SitkaFarmersMarket.

It was a slow weekend when we held our sixth Sitka Farmers Market of the season on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall. We didn’t have as many booths, but there still was steady business at the market.

Now that we’re deeper into the season, we had more produce available than in our earlier markets, and this time we had some extra produce left at the end of the market that was donated to the Salvation Army soup kitchen. Even though is was a smaller market, our vendors had a wide range of other products for sale. We had vendors selling Indian tacos and frybread; home-baked bread; fresh, frozen or jarred seafood; homemade caramels; garlic, lettuce, carrots and other produce; arts and crafts; and more. And this year we introduced a couple of new Alaska Grown product lines at the Sitka Local Foods Network’s farm stand.

The last Sitka Farmers Market takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the ANB Founders Hall. Also, mark Saturday, Sept. 28, on your calendar for the 25th annual Running of the Boots fundraiser (and farm stand) at Totem Square Park. We still have room for new vendors at our last farmers market.

To learn how to be a vendor at the market or how to be a volunteer, contact market manager Nina Vizcarrondo at (907) 738-9301 or assistant manager Charles Bingham (907) 623-7660, or email us at sitkafarmersmarket@gmail.com. We also have a kids vendor program at the market for young entrepreneurs age 12 or younger. Don’t forget to like our Sitka Farmers Market page on Facebook.

A slideshow of scenes from the sixth Sitka Farmers Market of 2019 is posted below.

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Scenes from the first Sitka Farmers Market of the 2019 summer

PHOTO COURTESY OF SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
TABLE OF THE DAY: Sitka Local Foods Network board member Amanda Anjum, right, presents the Table of the Day award to Kate desRosiers of Rainforest Rose Creations during the first Sitka Farmers Market of the 2019 summer season, held July 6, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall. Kate sold healthy treats, made without refined grains or refined sugar. Her products change each market, and this market she had carob peanut butter cups, caramel date carob cups, sunflower carrot bites, tigernut bites, cashew cheesecake with salmonberries, nightshade-free taco seasoning, and fresh rhubarb and yarrow from her garden. She received a tote bag filled with a bag of salad greens, a jar of Barnacle kelp salsa, a Redoubt Rhubarb t-shirt, a few Alaska Grown stickers, a Chugach Chocolate bar, and some Bridge Creek birch syrup sample straws. The next Sitka Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at ANB Founders Hall (235 Katlian St.). Other markets this summer are Aug. 10, Aug. 17, Aug. 31, Sept. 7, and Sept. 21. For more information, go to http://www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org, or like our Sitka Local Foods Network page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SitkaLocalFoodsNetwork, and our Sitka Farmers Market page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SitkaFarmersMarket.

We kicked off the 12th season of Sitka Farmers Markets on Saturday, July 6, with a full market and a bit of sunny weather after the morning clouds burned off.

Our produce supply was wiped out early, which sometimes happens during the first market or two of the season as we wait for more produce to mature for harvest. But our vendors had a wide range of other products for sale. We had vendors selling homemade pancakes, eggs and bacon; reindeer hot dogs; home-baked bread; fresh, frozen or jarred seafood; garlic scapes, lettuce, carrots and other produce; arts and crafts; face-painting; musicians; and more. We also had a couple of food trucks outside. And we introduced a couple of new Alaska Grown product lines at the Sitka Local Foods Network’s farm stand.

The next Sitka Farmers Market takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the ANB Founders Hall. There also are markets scheduled for Aug. 10, Aug. 17, Aug. 31, Sept. 7, and Sept. 21. To learn how to be a vendor at the marketor how to be a volunteer, contact market manager Nina Vizcarrondo at (907) 738-9301 or assistant manager Charles Bingham (907) 623-7660, or email us at sitkafarmersmarket@gmail.com. We also have a kids vendor program at the market for young entrepreneurs age 12 or younger. Don’t forget to like our Sitka Farmers Market page on Facebook.

A slideshow of scenes from the first Sitka Farmers Market of 2019 is posted below.

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Scenes from the Sitka Kitch Indian cooking class with Mohan Arul

Students learned how to cook chicken biriyani during the Sitka Kitch’s Cooking Around The World class Indian Cooking With Mohan Raj Arul on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the new Sitka Kitch location in the Sitka Lutheran Church. This class was originally scheduled for Jan. 15, but was postponed after Mohan had to return to India after a death in the family.

Biriyani — which Mohan said is the spelling in southern India, while biryani is the spelling in northern India and Pakistan — is a popular dish featuring chicken, lamb or vegetables mixed with spices and basmati rice.

The Sitka Kitch has a few upcoming events on its schedule. They include (clicking on the date takes you to the registration pages for the classes, clicking the other link takes you to the story on this website):

A slideshow of images from the Indian cooking class is posted below.

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Scenes from the Sitka Kitch potluck dinner and silent auction fundraiser on Feb. 17

The Sitka Kitch hosted a potluck dinner and silent auction fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 17, at the new location of the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen (inside Sitka Lutheran Church).

The event served two purposes — it was an introduction to the new space, and it provided a meal to people staying over from the just-concluded Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit. In addition to a variety of potluck food, the event featured a silent auction and a Sitka Kitch trivia contest with the winners getting chocolate-covered strawberries.

The Sitka Kitch has a few upcoming events on its schedule. They include (clicking on the date takes you to the registration pages for the classes, clicking the other link takes you to the story on this website):

A slideshow of images from the fundraiser is posted below.

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Scenes from the Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit held Feb. 15-17

Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit event organizer Jennifer Nu (Juneau), far right, introduces the members of the planning committee after the final session on Sunday. From left are Colin Peacock (Juneau), Lori Adams (Sitka), Joe Orsi (Juneau), Bo Varsano (Petersburg), Marja Smets (Petersburg), Andrea Fraga (Sitka) and Laura Schmidt (Sitka).

The 2019 Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit came to Sitka last week, with events Feb. 15-17 at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp’s Sweetland Hall and downtown at Harrigan Centennial Hall.

Started in 2015 in Petersburg as a way to bring the farmers and commercial food and flower growers in Southeast Alaska together, the Summit provides them with a forum to discuss what works and doesn’t work in their communities. The Summit takes place every other year, and in 2017 it was in Haines.

A variety of small farms around the region made presentations about how they grow food. There also was a vendor showcase and educational talks by farmers from outside the region.

The event was organized by Jennifer Nu and Colin Peacock of the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition out of Juneau, with support from the Sitka Local Foods Network, Sitka Kitch, Sitka Food Co-Op, and other groups.

A slideshow of scenes from the Summit is posted below.

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