What Sitka Eats

What can be more simple and more complex than what we eat? Take a look at quotes and images of Sitkans and what they eat… More at Artchange Inc. Inspired by the film Eating Alaska. Eating Alaska. In collaboration with Sitka Local Foods Network.

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Fish-bobbing winner at Sitka Seafood Festival

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"I'm a chef at SEARC hospital. We're not allowed to serve local fish. The FDA, CDC, etc., won't let us. What happens is we catch fish, send it down to Seattle to get it processed at an approved facility, and then it gets sent back to us. It's about twice as expensive when it gets back."

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At the Sitka Seafood Festival: Locally caught halibut enchiladas

"How's it selling?"

"Excellent" 

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"How did you make the chocolate covered bacon gluten free?"

"Chocolate covered bacon comes gluten free naturally.

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"I come to Swan Lake to eat Monday- Friday. It's nice here. Gives us a change of pace in the day."

Swan lake serves a balanced meal on weekdays, only $4 for those over age 60. 

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"Two things I've learned from living in Sitka in 20 years: food is meant to be shared and herring is a sign of spring."

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Finn Island farm: 3 miles away from Sitka. Population: 2 people, 2 dogs, 4 chickens. 

"There was no soil when I got here. It took me six years to make this soil from kelp and compost."

"Why is this cabbage so big? Herring eggs. We use it to fertilize the soil. Our cabbage won the state fair competition last year. It was 27 pounds."

"Why did I move to this island? I like my privacy."

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Kombucha making: 1 gallon of water, 1.5 cups of sugar, 1 scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), 5 days fermentation

"I started making kombucha when my friend passed away a couple of years ago. She gave me my first scoby. It keeps a part of her here when I make kombucha."

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75% of Sitkans eat less than 5 fruits and vegetables per day.

15.6% of Sitkans participate in the food stamp program, less than the national average of 20%. 

Check out the Sitka Community Food Assessment Indicators Report  for more info!

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"A lot of people would like to eat more healthily but they can't afford it. A lot of folks don't feel confident in the kitchen. They don't have the time or they won't make time to cool. A lot of people aren't eating family meals together. We have such wonderful food available but again, you have to be able to afford the food."

- Susan Hoyt, Community dietrician

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"I don't have a garden so I help out here a lot."

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"It's to support my drinking habit."

"Drinking habit?"

"Tea drinking habit. The local foods movement has really driven business my way."

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From farm to market, picked and sold the same day

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photographer with fish

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Harvested over 700 sockeye salmon which provide healthy snacks for Native culture classes during the school year 

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"No one thought of an idea like U Pick in Sitka where you can pick your own vegetables. What was happening was that people were only getting fresh vegetables once every two weeks at the farmer's market. They actually rezoned the city so I can do it, since it's a residential zone and I'm trying to start a farm."

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salmon, giver of life