THE 4TH ANNUAL
2016 HARVEST
MOON
LOCAL FOOD
FESTIVAL
IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HARD WORK OF
OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM:
Alasha Brito
Ally Bril
Connor Eller
Eliza Eller
Heidi Chay
Linda Swarner
Liz Leduc
Mebahiah Pauthe
Tami Marsters
Tia Holley
Willow King… and others
AS WELL AS GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM LOCAL FARMERS AND OUR SPONSORS:
HARVEST
MOON
LOCAL FOOD
FESTIVAL
August 12-18
2016 PROGRAM
Our mission is to support local food
by fostering healthy eating.
About Us
The Kenai Local Food Connection is an informal group of local
food advocates, growers, parents, cooks and friends. Some of us
also work in positions dedicated to food and health. It’s a
grassroots effort to forge connections within our community to
increase access to local foods and knowledge about healthy eating.
Our efforts grow each year and support food security and health in
the communities of Kenai, Soldotna, Kasilof, Sterling and Nikiski.
sign up for our newsletter:
[email protected]
The Issue
Alaska currently imports 98% of our food. This is not good for our
health nor economy. However, the local food movement is
growing, right here on the Kenai Peninsula! Whether it’s 100
people each growing one cabbage in their back yard, or one
farmer growing 100 cabbages, or one person making those
cabbages into sauerkraut, food security in Alaska increases. It is
quite possible to grow almost all that we need right here in Alaska,
once the will is there to do it. Let’s grow the 2% of our food
sourced locally to 3% and eventually all the way to 100%,
one meal at a time!
www.kenailocalfood.org
FAMILY FARM TOURS CONTINUED…
Jackson Gardens at 2 pm and again at 4 pm
48195 John’s Road, Soldotna
Directions: Drive 7 Miles past Soldotna towards Homer to
Mile 103, Turn left on John’s Road. Proceed 1500 feet and
park along the road. Jackson Gardens is on the right.
At Jackson Gardens, kids will see all kinds of things
growing from berries, apples and plums, to sweet potatoes
and corn, to a rainbow of flowers! The proprietors, Bobbie
and Harold Jackson, are a wealth of information and would
be happy to answer any questions you might have about
growing your own garden. Come and be inspired.
FINAL EVENT:
6-7:30 pm
TALK & SLIDESHOW
Beautiful, Bountiful Sea Vegetables
with IONIA
at the Soldotna Library
Follow the process of sustainably harvesting, drying,
packing and cooking the delicious, nutritious Jackalof Bay
kelp with the community of Ionia.
Thursday, August 18
FAMILY FARM TOURS
OPENING NIGHT
Friday, August 12
6:30-8:00 pm
Ridgeway Farms at 2 pm and again at 4 pm
KEYNOTE TALK & SLIDESHOW
5220 Strawberry Road, Kenai
at the Soldotna Library
Horses! Over 45 different vegetables and herbs! See a
working CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm and
homestead which feeds more than 75 families throughout the
Summer.
Food Systems Literacy:
Key to Thinking Beyond Our Plates
Directions: Take Kenai Spur Hwy to Mile 4.75 between
Soldotna and Kenai and turn east on Strawberry Road.
Ridgeway Farms is straight ahead on the right.
MELINDA HEMMELGARN
Award-Winning Dietitian, Writer, Speaker
& Nationally Syndicated Radio Host
Melinda Hemmelgarn, is a registered dietitian, writer, and
host of nationally syndicated Food Sleuth Radio. By
connecting the dots between food, health, agriculture
and our environment, she’ll define good food, and offer
critical questions to find “food truth.” Melinda weaves
messages of urgency, hope, inspiration and action.
Saturday Aug 13
KIDS’ WILD FOOD WORKSHOPS
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
10:30 am -12:30 am
Kid’s Wholesome Berry Jam
with Ally Bril and the kids of Ionia
Our Alaskan wild berries are some of the healthiest in the
world to eat! Bring the kids to learn how to make delicious
jam with our indigenous (or farmed) berries, without sugar.
1-3 pm
Delightful Dandelion Dishes for Kids with Tia Holley
Dandelions are known by kids as the “sunny flowers”, and are
renowned for their healing qualities. And, you can eat the whole plant!
But how do you cook them in delicious ways? Bring the kids to find
out from Tia Holley,Wellness Consultant at the Kenaitze Dena’ina
Wellness Center, who has years of experience creating treats
with our bountiful wild plants.
EXPLORE THE LOCAL BREWS at the
KENAI PENINSULA BEER FESTIVAL
5-10 pm Soldotna Sports Center
for more info see www.kenaipeninsulabeer.org
2016 HARVEST
MOON
EVENTS PERFECT FOR THE KIDS:
Saturday, August 14
10:30 am -12:30 pm
Kids Wholesome Berry Jam
with Ally Bril and the kids from Ionia
and 1-3 pm
Delightful Dandelion Dishes
with Tia Holley from the Dena’ina
Wellness Center
Sunday, August 15, 1 pm
Wild Edibles Hunt
Monday, August 16, 2-4 pm
Berry Walk
Tuesday August 17, 3 pm
Chef at the Market
Thursday August 18, 2 pm & 4 pm
Family Farm Tours
Wednesday, Aug 17
1-4 pm
WILD PLANT WORKSHOP
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
Indigenous Harvest
with honored Elder Kathy Brewster from Nanwalek
Kathy Brewster will demonstrate how to make a seaweed soup,
as well as a simple salve and serum. We are honored to have her
share her knowledge and create wonderful treats for us with local
plants, in this demonstration workshop.
6-7:30 pm
TALK AND SLIDESHOW
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
Ancient, Modern & Future Worlds of Food
with Phiya Kushi of Ionia
Where do we come from? Where are we now? How did we
get here? Where are we going? What do we envision?
These are some of the questions explored by Phiya Kushi,
who has traveled the world speaking about food’s unique
power to shape our experiences, communities, & direction.
Sunday, August 14
1 pm
WILD EDIBLES HUNT
with Dr. George Spady of Alaska Boreal Herbs
meet at the Funny River Horse trailhead at 1 pm, around
Mile Post 7 on the south side of Funny River Road Who doesn’t love stir fried mushrooms with garlic? We will
be taking you on a 4-5 mile hike and identifying over 40
edible plants, herbs and, hopefully, mushrooms that one
can pick for personal use, with Dr. George Spady, founder
of the Kenai Peninsula Mycological Society and Alaskan
Boreal Herbs.
5 pm
FARM TO TABLE SUPPER
hosted by Where It’s At! in Soldotna
Did someone say stir-fried wild mushrooms with fresh
garlic? Join the Kenai Local Food Connection volunteer
chefs and local farmers for an exclusive benefit supper
featuring local berry wines, fresh seafood and vegetables,
ferments and good cheer. Live music, dancing and berry
dessert will round out the evening.
limited space: $50 each person
TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT, purchase tickets
before August 12 at The Flats Bistro, Where It’s At!
OR online: www.eventbrite.com - Soldotna farm to table
Monday, August 15
2-4 pm
BERRY WALK
meet at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank
This lecture and hike will help you to understand where
many tasty types of berries grow and how to identify them.
Presentation on gathering and cleaning will be at the Food
Bank, and the hike will take place afterwards. Dress
accordingly for the weather.
6-7:30 pm
Tuesday, August 16
3:30-5:30 pm
CHEF AT THE MARKET
Sizzling Stir-fry with Willow King
at the Farmers Fresh Market
Kenai Peninsula Food Bank parking lot
1-4 pm
TALK AND SLIDESHOW
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
DEMONSTRATION WORKSHOP
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
Plantlore Wisdom of the Dena’ina People
with honored Alaskan author Priscilla Russell
Wild Plant Ferments
with Connor Eller of Ionia
Follow the author with lovely slides on her journey to
create a complete manual of local edible and healing
plants from the Kenai Peninsula.
Krauts and Kimchees are even more delicious and
nutritious made with wild greens: dandelion, cucumber
shoot, nettle, fiddlehead fern, chickweed. Bring a jar and
make some amazing pickles to bring home.
6-7:30 pm
DEMONSTRATION WORKSHOP
at the Kenaitze Dena’ina Wellness Center
Preserving Salmon with Linda Tannehill
of UAF Cooperative Extension
We will demonstrate safe ways to preserve salmon.