Journal
Seasons Greetings!
After a busy summer season of kelp harvesting and production of our kelp salsa, pickles, and dried kelp blends, we’re happy to be rolling into fall. Here are some snippets of what we’ve been up to:
Barnacle Takes a Quick Break
We hopped on the Alaska Marine Highway, our state-run ferry system, to Tenakee Springs. Tenakee Springs is a small community of about 100 residents. We had a chance to soak in the mineral springs, spend some quality cabin time, meet with some old and new friends, and take in the beauty of another corner of Southeast Alaska. After a whirlwind of a summer, this was a much-needed getaway with an added bonus of some rest and relaxation.
Since I can remember, the end of summer has been my favorite time of year.
The bounty is in full swing — wild berries are ripe, pulses of salmon flood the Inside Passage’s streams and fjords, mushrooms emerge from the deep moss, fall’s crisp air is right around the corner. It’s harvest season.
The hard part is deciding which sustenance to pursue. Walking up the stream with my fishing pole I snack on blueberries. A bright orange golden chanterelle mushroom shines in the undergrowth. I’ll sauté this lovely fungi with onions and if I’m lucky add a cherry-chrome coho from the lazy stream's hidden depths.
We have been working hard this winter and have some exciting updates, we want you to be the first to know! Your continued support and encouragement means the world to us as we grow our business.
Meet Barnacle.
Finding our name has been a journey and we are happy to share our new company name: Barnacle. Barnacle originates from the coastal wilds that inspired us to start this business. We hope our business will be as resilient and committed to “place” as the humble barnacle.
In February of last year, Alaskan Gov. Bill Walker signed an administrative order to help jumpstart mariculture, or sea farming, in the state. One Juneau couple is whipping up a recipe to make local kelp an enticing business and snack. They're part of a growing number of startups that see Alaska seaweed as a marketable food.
Kelp has become a big part of Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz's relationship.
"It's basically all we talk about it," Heifetz says with a laugh. "Every day of the week. Every night of the week. Every weekend."
Read more here...