We're Planting FISH to Grow FOOD in Remote Alaska?!

Growing food in remote Alaska takes some creativity! We're in Tenakee Springs, Alaska, where a group of dedicated locals is working to improve food security by turning resources already available in Southeast Alaska into nutrient-rich soil for their community garden. And one of those resources is SALMON! We started with a tote of salmon heads and spines from a fish processing plant in Juneau, saving the delicious collars for ourselves, of course! Then we headed to a nearby river to harvest hundreds of pink salmon nearing the end of their natural life cycle. By combining salmon with decomposing wood waste from local logging operations, the community is experimenting with a composting system that could help build fertile soil for growing food. Scott and Alaskan Gypsy get put to work too, helping with the salmon harvest, hauling a barge, and navigating the tides and challenges that come with getting things done in remote Alaska. From the community members sharing their farming experience to the hands-on work of building the compost piles, this project is all about resourcefulness, collaboration, and finding ways to become more self-sufficient. The first compost pile didn't heat up quite as quickly as everyone hoped, but that's part of the learning process. The materials will continue breaking down over the winter, and we're looking forward to checking back next spring to see how things are progressing! Thanks for coming along and supporting the people and communities that make Southeast Alaska such an incredible place to live. Subscribe to follow our adventures aboard Alaskan Gypsy, our 80-foot steel schooner, as we explore remote Alaska and share the people, places, and projects we encounter along the way. #alaska #alaskangypsylife #tenakeesprings #foodsecurity #homesteading Chapters: 00:00 A Different Kind of Alaska Farming 01:05 Turning Salmon Scraps Into Something Valuable 02:27 Supporting Food Security in Remote Alaska 04:46 Meet the Community Garden Team 07:16 Building Soil With Salmon 10:43 Building the First Compost Pile 12:28 Adding the Salmon 16:25 Learning as We Go 18:32 Alaskan Gypsy Joins the Salmon Harvest 20:34 Dipnetting for Dirt! 23:36 The Salmon Life Cycle in Alaska 25:33 Using the Tides to Move the Barge 28:24 Towing Challenges With Alaskan Gypsy 31:03 Checking on the Compost 35:41 What Did We Learn? 37:59 Building a Bigger Compost Pile