From cook Courtney Sonia-
Aquatic vegetables often get overlooked here in Maine (and probably the rest of the states, I’m assuming). Unless sushi is on the menu, kelp is almost nowhere to be seen – and what a shame! It wasn’t until this past spring that I was introduced to the idea of eating seaweed outside of Japanese dishes. I read an article in the Maine Magazine about a company called Ocean Approved, located here in Maine, that is giving insight and inspiration on ways to make kelp a part of your daily life. Ocean Approved is a kelp farming company that sells frozen, prepared seaweed with an extremely mild flavor. Here at Chewonki we’ve had Ocean Approved kelp twice now, and it’s been a hit both times. We didn’t expect it to be so popular, especially among the students, but we were pleasantly surprised! The success with serving Ocean Approved kelp has got the Chewonki Kitchen thinking about ways we can incorporate this awesome aquatic vegetable into more menu items. The reason kelp is so exciting to us is because it’s nutritious, sustainable, and could easily be grown right here on Chewonki Neck!
The nutritional value of kelp is amazing. It’s famous for its high iodine content, a mineral that plays a big part in healthy hormone production. Kelp is a great source of calcium, iron, vitamin C, and many other minerals needed in the human body. It’s also low in fat and contains plenty of dietary fiber.
Here on the coast of Maine, kelp farming is extremely sustainable. Unlike most land vegetables, kelp does not need fresh water, it does not need cleared land to grow, and it can survive freezing temperatures. Kelp consumes CO2 and nitrogen, both of which are abundant in our costal waters. Kelp farming is also sustainable because it can provide jobs to fisherman and lobstermen in their off-season. Kelp is planted and harvested in the colder months, which is a slow time for fisherman, especially with the shrimp season being cancelled for a second year.
The kitchen would love for a future semester student (perhaps an aspiring marine biologist) to research the feasibility of starting a small kelp farm tended to by students and staff. It would be a fantastic Human Ecology Project*, and could even be the start of a Chewonki Farm expansion…into the ocean!
While we daydream about harvesting our own Chewonki kelp, we’ll happily continue to purchase Ocean Approved products for use here in the kitchen. The values and practices of Ocean Approved align with our Food Philosophy, and we’re thrilled to support this innovative and sustainable local company.
* If there are any future students interested in taking on this project, Ocean Approved has a very helpful “Kelp Farming Manual” available for download on their website, www.oceanapproved.com. The founder of Ocean Approved, Tollef Olson, also takes email and phone inquires about farming and harvesting kelp.
