Morning Star Fisheries harvesting kelp
Alex Hutchins of Morning Star Fisheries on Southport Island, unloads some kelp. Diane Randlett photo
FV Morning Star in Cozy Harbor, Southport. Diane Randlett photo
The buoys are color coded so that aquaculturists, Jodi Brewer and Alex Hutchins, know if the lines are crossed or tangled and also helps the couple track the growth of kelp on each line. Diane Randlett photo
Alex Hutchins and his haul of kelp during a recent day. Diane Randlett photo
Strap kelp turns a deep emerald green after it is boiled. The texture of the 1-1/2 inch kelp is somewhat like a lasagna noodle. After rinsing with fresh water and boiling for 10 minutes it is a nice addition to any dish as seen below of tortellini and a calzone wedge. Harvester Jodi Brewer says her favorite recipe is kelp made into a stuffing for homemade raviolis. Diane Randlett photo
Alex Hutchins of Morning Star Fisheries on Southport Island, unloads some kelp. Diane Randlett photo
FV Morning Star in Cozy Harbor, Southport. Diane Randlett photo
The buoys are color coded so that aquaculturists, Jodi Brewer and Alex Hutchins, know if the lines are crossed or tangled and also helps the couple track the growth of kelp on each line. Diane Randlett photo
Alex Hutchins and his haul of kelp during a recent day. Diane Randlett photo
Strap kelp turns a deep emerald green after it is boiled. The texture of the 1-1/2 inch kelp is somewhat like a lasagna noodle. After rinsing with fresh water and boiling for 10 minutes it is a nice addition to any dish as seen below of tortellini and a calzone wedge. Harvester Jodi Brewer says her favorite recipe is kelp made into a stuffing for homemade raviolis. Diane Randlett photo
Jodi Brewer and Alex Hutchins, owners of Morning Star Fisheries of Southport, are farmers who raise a most unusual crop. They raise kelp in Ebenecook Harbor and also near Boston Island in the Sheepscot River. Beginning in 2013, Jodi and Alex began to research and discover, with the help of the Island Institute, a new way to earn a living from the sea, raising and harvesting different kinds of kelp.
Hutchins, a lobster and shrimp fisherman, decided when a moratorium was set on the shrimping industry, that he would diversify and learn a new way to benefit from the sea. Since late 2018, he and partner Jodi Brewer have grown kelp in the cold ocean waters off of Southport Island. Currently they raise two types of kelp, sugar kelp and strap kelp, and sell these plants to Atlantic Sea Farms in Saco, Maine.
Atlantic Sea Farms has many aquaculture farmers, from Eastport to Portland, who sell their harvest to them. The company makes among other products, Sea-Beet Kraut, which comes in a jar and is prepared with ginger and beets. This can be served in sandwiches or as a side garnish for an entree. For more information, visit atlanticseafarms.com
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