Skillsharing

I live in a place where people still have the option of feeding themselves by either fishing, hunting or gathering and I have friends and family who share. It is this kind of living that makes me feel truly wealthy. To be able to connect to the bounty of our beautiful land is something that I hope will continue for us in Alaska and that we will work together to maintain the health of our lands and waters.

The Sustainable Southeast Partnership is doing great work with the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition and the Salt and Soil Marketplace to promote local, regional and traditional foodways while also creating economic opportunities. One of the ways that people are encouraged to participate in the food web of Southeast Alaska is by participating in the Local Foods Challenge.

Through these intertwined entities and projects I have been able to share some skills and stories that are centered around seasonal foods that Alaskans revolve around; the salmon season and the hunting seasons that follow for moose, caribou and deer.

This past spring at the start of the salmon season I taught a class that involved breaking down a whole salmon and working through making different things with the various parts of the fish while using as much of the fish as possible. And earlier this fall I shared how a hearty soup can be made with the leg bones and/or ribs of wild game as well as any other bones of the animal from my Mother’s tried and true recipe.

I hope you enjoy watching and that you will have the opportunity to honor your catch by implementing some of the skills you might learn.

Please enjoy and take good care,

Mel