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Sitka Ranger District, Tribe harvest Tlingit community potato garden
SITKA, Alaska, Sept. 12, 2017 – The community is invited to help harvest the Sitka Ranger District/Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tlingit
potato garden, and learn scientific and cultural information about the unique crop, September 25 at 3 p.m.
Leading potato researcher Elizabeth Kunibe will join the group to present information on the biology, history, and cultural aspects Tlingit potatoes. Topics will include: harvesting potatoes,
learning to store potatoes for seed and for food, preparation for next year’s garden, and the cultural aspects of Tlingit potatoes and native gardening.
The Sitka RD provided the sunny plot of land for the shared potato garden and tended the garden over the summer after volunteers from the Sitka Tribe’s Traditional Foods Program, the gardening
class from Pacific High School, and others from the community planted the potatoes in April.
Community involvement is needed for the harvest. Participants should come prepared for the weather as all activities will occur outdoors. All of the attendees are asked to wear boots, gardening
gloves, and bring hand trowels or shovels. Bringing buckets of kelp to incorporate into the soil after harvesting would be beneficial. The potatoes will need to be dried and prepared for storage. Many of the potatoes harvested will be saved for next year’s seed potatoes, Depending on the size of the harvest, the group hopes
to share the harvest among the volunteers and through the Sitka Tribe’s Traditional Foods Program and Social Services. Tlingit potatoes (sometimes called Maria’s potatoes) have been present in Tlingit gardens for over 200 years. The potatoes originate from Mexico or Chile and were a trade
item in Southeast Alaska in the early 1800’s. This work day and educational opportunity will be at the Sitka Ranger District office, located at 2108 Halibut Point Road. For more information, contact Michelle Putz at 907-747-2708 or
mputz@xxxxxxxxx. For interviews and information to be used for publication, contact the Tongass Public
Affairs Officer at 907-228-6201 or paulrobbins@xxxxxxxxx. -end- This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately. To manage your subscription visit http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription.shtml |
