Daily Sitka Sentinel

April 1, 2020, Community Happenings

Mushroom, Bread Providers Win Prizes

Levi Adams of Forage and Farm and Andrew Jylkka of Southeast Dough Company have been awarded the two $1,500 prizes in the third annual Sitka Food Business Innovation Contest.

Adams plans to cultivate mushrooms and Jylkka is a baker who is selling bread and fermented foods to Sitka residents.

 “We had some really good entries this year, but these two rose to the top,” said Charles Bingham, board president of the Sitka Local Foods Network, which sponsors the contest. “Even with the coronavirus outbreak, Andrew is actively baking and selling his bread. Levi is still getting his business started, but his entry was the most thoroughly written and researched, by far, of any we’ve received in the three years we’ve hosted the contest. The Sitka Local Foods Network’s mission is to increase the amount of locally harvested and produced foods into the diets of Southeast Alaskans, so we hope our prizes encourage local food entrepreneurs here in Sitka.”

The Sitka Food Business Innovation Contest has $1,500 prizes for each of two categories, start-ups (less than two years old) and existing businesses. This year all of the entries were in the start-up category, but since Andrew already was baking and selling bread and had a history of baking in Wrangell, his entry was moved to the existing business category so there could be two awards.

“We felt both entries were deserving of awards,” Bingham said.

“My business will provide the opportunity for Sitkans to experience the healthful and flavorful addition of fresh and dried wild and cultivated mushrooms, both native and exotic to their daily routines,’’ Adams said on his entry form. ‘‘Forage and Farm will strive to meet the growing demand for culinary and medicinal fungi in the community by foraging fresh wild mushrooms in the warm seasons and bringing them to market at the Sitka Food Co-op, as well as distributing through an independent CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) program (Levi’s mother, Lori Adams, operates the Down To Earth Gardens CSA in Sitka). In the colder seasons, cultivated mushrooms will be provided.”

With several scouting trips under his belt, Adams said he is waiting for commercial harvest permits from the USDA Forest Service and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (state forests). While waiting for the permits, he said he plans to gather red alder and hemlock logs so he can cultivate mushrooms on his family’s property. He also is looking to purchase refrigerator and dehydrator equipment to store and process the mushrooms.

“With funds obtained from the Sitka Food Business Innovation Contest I will redouble my efforts toward cultivation. I hope to bring a large number of diverse and nutritious mushroom species to the market as soon as possible,” Levi wrote. “Nothing supercharges my sense of purpose like applying permaculture principles to foraging and farming, and understanding that I can leverage those efforts to enrich and enliven my community. For partnering with me in this, the Sitka Local Foods Network has my deep gratitude and respect.”

Since moving to Sitka, Jyllka has been baking about 50 loaves for Sitka Food Co-op deliveries and also selling through social media. He was scheduled to teach a Sitka Kitch class on baking brioche before the coronavirus forced its postponement. In addition to baking his bread, Jylkka makes sauerkraut and kimchi to sell.

“Southeast Dough Company does not aim to just make a good loaf of bread,” Jyllka wrote in his entry. “The goal here is to continue building on the positive food culture that exists in Sitka and strengthen the foundations of our community. I have a strong belief that good food brings people together and allows them an avenue to connect to one another that they may otherwise not find. My chosen medium for this product is bread. The mixing of water, flour, salt and yeast has been at the heart of society for millennia and the breaking of bread is symbolic of neighbors coming together to build lasting connections.”

Jyllka currently is using his home kitchen to bake his bread, and he estimated he could ramp up production to 400 loaves a week in his current kitchen. But he really wants to move into a larger commercial kitchen and possibly hire an assistant.

“This prize will help me take the next step to move out of my home kitchen and into a commercial space. I’m excited to be able to offer my products more consistently to the members of this community,” Jyllka wrote. “I would love to participate in the farmers market, and I understand that everything is a waiting game right now so no worries there. I also need to make some decisions as to when I chose to expand with everything that’s going on.”

Last year’s winners were Brittany Dumag of Castaway, a food cart with Cuban pork sandwiches using Alaska pork, and Tamara Kyle of Sitka Sauers (fermented foods), with a special youth winner award for Abigail Ward of Sitka Spices (meat and fish rubs). In 2018, the winner was Hope Merritt of Gimbal Botanicals (beach greens and local teas).

Library Offers

Checkout Options

Sitka Public Library is offering limited checkout options while being closed to the public.

Up to three specific titles may be ordered by phone, or patrons can email the library to request a surprise bundle of five titles to be selected by a librarian. To request titles, call 747-4020 during office hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, or send an email to library@cityofsitka.org.

For information visit the library website or Facebook page. 

Sitka Summer

Music Festival

Canceled in June

The Sitka Music Festival will not host public events in June because of concerns and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘‘Although we remain hopeful that preventative measures we take now as individuals, communities, states, and a nation will result in life being closer to normal by June, it seems unwise to plan on it,’’ said Kayla Boettcher, SSMF director, in a press release. ‘‘At this time, we are still planning to host the Sitka International Cello Seminar July 20-Aug. 10, which always includes a number of community performances in various locations across Sitka, plus the popular Cello-bration concert scheduled for Aug. 8.

‘‘We are also exploring the possibility of shifting some traditional June festival events into August, perhaps presenting a concert or two paired with one of our special events if possible. Additionally, we are looking at ways to stream unique musical content via the Internet over the next few months,’’ she said.

Updates will be issued on the website (sitkamusicfestival.org), over social media channels, press releases and through festival email announcements.

The Sitka Music Festival board and staff said it appreciates the ongoing support it continues to receive.

Questions can be directed to Kayla Boettcher at director@sitkamusicfestival.org or Amy Kramer Johnson at amy@sitkamusicfestival.org.

Fish and Game

Advisory Meets

The Sitka Fish and Game Advisory Committee will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, by conference call. The call-in number is 1-800-504-8071 with the code 4654046.

The advisory committee will be considering log book proposals for self-guided charters and fishing boat rentals and other proposals put forward by the committee and community members. 

For information, contact Jon Martin, chair, 747-7752, jmart118@alaska.edu, or Andrew Thoms, secretary, 747-7509, andrew@sitkawild.org.

Salvation Army,

SAFV Earn

Fund Grants

The Alaska Fund has announced its Basic Needs Grants recipients, including Sitkans Against Family Violence and the Salvation Army Sitka Corps.

Grants totaling $55,000 were made to nonprofits in 11 communities.

‘‘The fund built by the generosity of Alaskans over a five-year campaign that ended in 2018, is now serving its purpose to meet the ever-changing needs of Alaska,’’ the organization said. ‘‘This unrestricted endowment fund has provided support for nonprofits providing basic needs for Alaskans and will, in turn, support those struggling due to the coronavirous pandemic.’’

Both the Michalski Family Fund and Lorrie and Morris Horning Donor Advised Fund joined The Alaska Community Foundation in supporting these grants.

Grants will support food pantries and services, domestic violence shelters, senior services, and more.

“It is ACF’s ongoing mission to partner with our affiliate community foundations to provide regionally guided support throughout Alaska,’’ said Nina Kemppel, president and CEO of the Alaska Community Foundation. ‘‘These grants are a testament to our vision to build an Alaska where communities come together and have resources to thrive no matter the difficulties we face.”