August 27, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Alaska Grown’s Eat Local Challenge is this week

Flier for the Alaska Grown "Eat Local Challenge"

The Alaska Public Radio Network had a story on the Alaska News Nightly show Thursday night about the “Eat Local Challenge,” which takes place Aug. 23-29. Click here to listen to the story, which discusses what’s available around the state and how residents can encourage their local stores and restaurants to carry more Alaska Grown produce. For more information on the Eat Local Challenge, click here to see our post introducing the event last week.

By the way, a good time to buy local food this week is the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall (235 Katlian St.). We’ll see you there.

August 25, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Fourth Sitka Farmers Market of summer takes place on Saturday (Aug. 29)

The fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday (Aug. 29) at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall (235 Katlian St.).

The Sitka Farmers Market features about 20-30 vendors each market who sell locally grown produce, locally harvested fish and locally made arts and crafts. The market features musicians inside, a jam tent outside, local cooks with ready-to-eat dishes and a fun activity for children. The Sitka Farmers Market is the only farmers market in Southeast Alaska authorized to accept WIC vouchers, which can be used by WIC-eligible families to purchase produce.

The non-profit Sitka Local Foods Network accepts donations of garden vegetables for its corner stand. Proceeds from the Sitka Local Foods Network booth go to future markets and to local food projects.

Vendor booths are available for this Saturday’s market at $5 a table. Vendors are encouraged to be set up by 9:30 a.m., and all vendors selling processed food need to complete the state’s online food safety course before bringing the food (and completion certificate) to market, http://alaska.state.gegov.com/foodworker/.

For more information about this week’s market or to sign up as a volunteer, contact Linda Wilson at 747-3096 (nights) or lawilson87@hotmail.com.

By the way, if you haven’t already done so, then click the logo below to cast your vote for the Sitka Farmers Market in the “Love Your Farmers Market” contest, sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org.

The contest will award the voters’ favorite farmers market the grand prize, which could go a long way toward helping the Sitka Farmers Market support local family farmers and gardeners provide Sitka with fresh, healthy, locally grown food. Voting opened on June 19 and closes on Sept. 17. In addition to the $5,000 grand prize for the top farmers market, there are several other prizes including weekly $250 prizes for a random market and some prizes for voters (tote bags, $50 prizes for top recruiters to spend at their market, etc.). We appreciate your vote.

August 24, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Sitka Farmers Market on the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Corvallis (Ore.) Gazette-Times sites

Screenshot from the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund site with the Sitka Farmers Market story

The Daily Sitka Sentinel article from mid-July previewing this year’s series of Sitka Farmers Market events continues to make the rounds of publications in the Lower 48. Click here to see the article posted on the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund site.

The article also made its way to the Gazette-Times of Corvallis, Ore. (click here to see the article).

Screenshot of the Sitka Farmers Market article in the Gazette-Times of Corvallis, Ore.

August 22, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Alaska Grown hosts the “Eat Local Challenge 2009” on Aug. 23-29

The Alaska Grown program will launch its “Eat Local Challenge 2009” this week, Sunday through Saturday, Aug. 23-29 (click here to read more).

During the next week, Alaska residents are encouraged to:

• Try eating at least one home-cooked meal this week, made of mostly local ingredients.
• Try to incorporate at least one never-before-used local ingredient into a meal.
• Try “brown-bagging” at least one meal this week made primarily of local ingredients.
• Try talking to at least one local food retailer and one food producer about local food options.
• Try to choose local food products whenever possible.

August 21, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• A reminder to vote for the Sitka Farmers Market in the ‘Love Your Farmers Market’ contest

Sitka Farmers Market Calls On Community To Vote For It In The ‘Love Your Farmers Market’ Contest In An Effort To Win $5,000 From Care2.com

Prizes to help farmers markets across the country promote fresh, local foods and small family farms

SITKA, Alaska, Aug. 21, 2009 — Sitka residents have until Sept. 17 to show the Sitka Farmers Market some love — and help this farmers market win $5,000 through a fun, online contest.

The “Love Your Farmers Market” contest, sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org, will award the voters’ favorite farmers market the grand prize, which will go a long way to help the Sitka Farmers Market support local family farmers and provide Sitka with fresh, healthy, locally grown food. Voting opened on June 19 and closes on Sept. 17. In addition to the $5,000 grand prize for the top farmers market, there are several other prizes including weekly $250 prizes for a random market and some prizes for voters (tote bags, $50 prizes for top recruiters to spend at their market, etc.).

Such a contest couldn’t be more timely. With a global recession, food scares and growing concern over industrial farming practices, Americans are searching for ways to reconnect with local, healthy and safe foods for themselves and their families. “Recession gardens” are popping up around the country. Organic food is now a $20 billion industry and still expanding in spite of the economy. Earlier this year, First Lady Michelle Obama broke ground on the new White House organic vegetable garden. More and more, Americans are visiting their local farmers markets to feed their families and support their local farmers.

Care2 (www.care2.com), the largest online community of people passionate about making a difference, is teaming up with LocalHarvest (www.localharvest.org), America’s most popular website for finding food grown close to home, to bring public awareness to the need to support family farms, fresh healthy food, and the farmers markets that connect these farms and food to our communities.

In addition to the grand prize, Care2 is awarding $3,000, $2,000 and two prizes of $1,000 to the four runner-ups respectively. Local residents and market supporters will determine the winners of this contest, and can vote for the Sitka Farmers Market by going to this link.

“This is the best time to support America’s farmers markets,” said Randy Paynter, president and founder of Care2.com. “More and more Americans are taking an interest in local foods, sustainable farming and healthy eating. Care2 is proud to reward the farmers markets that our members love, and to grow the local food movement, one vote at a time.”

“People across the country are rediscovering the benefits of local food,” said Erin Barnett, Director of LocalHarvest.org. “Not only is the food at your farmers market fresher, tastier, and better for the environment, it’s also good for your local economy. By supporting farmers markets, we support family farmers and help them stay in business.”

“Five thousand dollars would make a huge impact on the kinds of support we can offer to farmers and outreach we can do to the community,” said Kerry MacLane, president of the Sitka Local Foods Network, which sponsors the Sitka Farmers Market. “We encourage all of our neighbors and customers to visit the contest web site and vote for us.”

Click here to vote or click on the contest logo above.

August 20, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Sitka Native Education program to host Jam and Jam on Aug. 28

The Sitka Native Education Program will host a Jam and Jam at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall with the Gajaa Heen Dancers and others.

The group will prepare salmonberry and rhubarb/strawberry jam in the Alaska Native Sisterhood kitchen at ANB Hall starting at 5 p.m. Following the class, all attending are invited to a campfire jam session on the Mt. Edgecumbe High School campus.

Materials will be provided for the jam-making class, which is targeted toward youth. Participants wanting to take home jam may bring their own jars, lids and berries to the class.

The Learn and Serve workshop is free. Participating youth are reminded that the final product will be for local elders. For more information, call the Sitka Native Education Program (SNEP) at 747-8561.

August 18, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Hope Merritt, Judy Johnstone win Table of the Day Award from third Sitka Farmers Market

Hope Merritt, left, and Judy Johnstone, right, of Gimbal Botanicals and Sprucecot Gardens receive the Table of the Day Award from Ellen Frankenstein during the third Sitka Farmers Market of the season on Aug. 15.

Hope Merritt and Judy Johnstone of Gimbal Botanicals and Sprucecot Gardens won the “Table of the Day Award” for the third Sitka Farmers Market of the season on Aug. 15.

The Sitka Local Foods Network selected the shared table — which featured a variety of fresh produce, herbal teas and ornamental plants — to receive the $25 cash prize, an Alaska Farmers Market Association tote bag, a DVD of “Eating Alaska” and a certificate of appreciation. A similar prize package will be awarded to a deserving vendor at each of the four remaining Sitka Farmers Markets.

The fourth market of the season takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall. Keep your eye on this site for more information.

Also, a new photo gallery from the third Sitka Farmers Market on Aug. 15 has been posted on Shutterfly (an online photo-sharing site). Click this link to check out the photos.

Maybelle Filler, left, Ellen Frankenstein, center, and Lisa Sadleir-Hart at the Sitka Local Foods Network booth.

Sammee of Sammee's Creations shows off some of her beaded jewelry

August 16, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• This week’s e-newsletter (Aug. 16)

Click here to read this week’s Sitka Local Foods Newsletter courtesy of Linda Wilson. Don’t forget, you can sign up for the e-newsletter by typing your e-mail address in the box on the left side of the page.

August 14, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Third Sitka Farmers Market takes place on Saturday (Aug. 15)

The third Sitka Farmers Market of the season takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall (235 Katlian St.) and in the adjoining parking lot owned by the Baranof Island Housing Authority.

“The Sitka Farmers Market offers unique varieties of fresh, nutritious food at the peak of flavor, creates a vibrant community gathering place, and provides the opportunity for learning about healthy life choices and local products,” says Linda Wilson, Sitka Farmers Market Co-Coordinator.

The Sitka Farmers Market features about 20-30 vendors each market who sell locally grown produce, locally harvested fish and locally made arts and crafts. Local musicians perform on the stage inside the ANB Hall and in the jam tent outside, local cooks make ready-to-eat dishes and there are activities for the children. The Sitka Farmers Market is the only farmers market in Southeast Alaska authorized to accept WIC vouchers, which can be used by WIC-eligible families to purchase produce.

Booths are available for Saturday’s market for $5 a table. For more information about this week’s market, contact Linda Wilson at 747-3096 (nights) or lawilson87@hotmail.com, or contact Kerry MacLane at maclanekerry@yahoo.com.

By the way, don’t forget to vote for the Sitka Farmers Market in the “Love Your Farmers Market” contest sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org. The market with the most votes wins $5,000. To vote, just click on the contest logo below and follow the link.

August 12, 2009 by Charles Bingham

• Community Gardens Act of 2009 introduced in Congress

According to the Vancouver, British Columbia, blog CityFarmer.info, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) on July 15 introduced HR 3225 into the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill known as the Community Gardens Act of 2009 (click here to read the text of the bill).

In a nutshell, this bill creates a grant program that compensates community groups up to 80 percent of the costs of starting and maintaining a community garden (click here to read the CityFarmer.info article about the bill).

Activities eligible to receive grant assistance include acquisition of interest in real property, construction, community outreach, operations, and any other appropriate activity. When making grants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will consider the geographic diversity among grantees and the number of individuals in a local community that are likely to participate in a community garden.

“I’ve introduced this bill to help local groups create new community gardens in neighborhoods around the country,” Inslee said in a press release posted on his Congressional Web site (click here to read it). “Community gardens provide local food sources, strengthen and beautify neighborhoods and let people in urban settings enjoy the benefits of local agriculture. As a parent, I’m also happy to note that community gardens engage families and children in growing their own vegetables, which studies have shown has increased the willingness of children to eat their veggies.”

According to a national study, 1 million households participated in community gardens in 2008, but an estimated 5 million households expressed an interest in starting a garden plot near their home. Groups eligible to apply for funds in Inslee’s new grant program include community-development organizations, schools, state and local governments, tribal organizations and other groups. By encouraging these groups to construct gardens in their communities, Inslee’s bill will promote nutrition, environmental awareness, and neighborhood development.

On the same day the Community Gardens Act of 2009 was introduced, Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) introduced a complementary resolution to designate August as “National Community Gardening Awareness Month.”

“I support the Community Gardens Act of 2009, as it will help Americans across the country establish new gardens and support those who want to take part in feeding their families and their communities,” Matsui said. “Community gardens are on the rise across the nation as Americans look to shrink their monthly grocery bills, introduce produce and more nutritious foods into their children’s diets, and as a way to create a connection between our communities and the food we feed our families.”

Encourage Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) to support this bill, and ask him to sign on as a co-sponsor. Also, write and ask Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) to sponsor a similar bill in the U.S. Senate. Feel free to take things a step further and notify your state representative and senator that Alaska needs a similar bill using this legislation as a model.

Click here to e-mail Rep. Don Young.

Click here to e-mail Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Click here to e-mail Sen. Mark Begich.