Many people love farmers markets because they can buy food from the people who produce it. Usually, that’s a farmer from a few miles down the road.
sample of his product
at the Homewood Indoor
Farmers Market on jan. 28.
Terhaar’s fishing co-op,
Sitka Salmon Shares, is
explected to return to the
market on Saturday. (Photo
by Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
At the first session of the Homewood Indoor Farmers Market on Jan. 28, one farmer traveled a bit farther than usual ― about 2,300 miles farther.
Drew Terhaar, a salmon fisherman, traveled from Sitka, Alaska, to Homewood to help sell his catch. Terhaar was representing Sitka Salmon Shares, a cooperative of fishermen that specializes in sustainable practices.
According to company promotional information, its fish are caught one at a time, hand processed and are on ice within 20 minutes of being caught. The fish are flash frozen in a Sitka processing plant and brought to the Midwest by the fishermen, who help sell them in stores and markets.
That means Homewood market patrons can shop for salmon and learn a little about what it’s like to be an Alaskan fisherman right from the source.
Terhaar said he is originally from the Chicago area, but after studying geology, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do for a career. He went to Alaska one summer “for an adventure,” and ended up staying.
“I always liked fishing,” he said.
He owns his boat and spends March through November fishing. During the winter months, he and other fishermen in the co-op help sell the catch.
Like most farrmers market vendors, Sitka Salmon Shares is a small operation. Terhaar said there are 13 boats in its fleet.
That scale means fish are handled by the fishermen from catch to customer rather than processed in a factory setting, he said.
Sitka Salmon is expected have a booth at the monthly indoor market throughout its season, which ends April 29. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Marie Irwin Center, 18120 S. Highland Ave.
The market will again have a wide range of foods and hand-crafted products, including empanadas, gumbo, microgreens, toffee, homemade doughnuts, cleaning products, chocolate, organic body products and sauces.
And, of course, salmon.
For a list of vendors, visit www.facebook.com/VillageofHomewood.