Preparing Seaweed Salad & Sawdust Stuffed Potatoes + A Christmas Tree Story

Market Gardening in Wrangell, Alaska
Week Ending December 6, 2025

There are three loads of seaweed which have been composting in the driveway for weeks alongside two loads of planer shavings. I move two loads of seaweed onto four beds in the NRCS tunnel NW 7, 8, 9, 10. I move the last load of seaweed to the SW area of the garden, onto the final two beds that I formed this week next to the new garlic beds, and I also add seaweed to the bed ends near the raspberry patch where I extended existing beds earlier this Fall.

I go through all of the potatoes and carrots stored in the chest fridge, wiping the condensation out of the plastic bags and removing a few rotten potatoes, then I set aside 40 larger size german butterball potatoes for seed that I store in a cardboard box in the personal fridge without curing. After moving the planer shavings to the NE Hugelkultur, I measure the size of the bed, about 30’ long and 4’ wide, and consider that I can get three rows of potatoes with 1.5” in-row plant spacing, which would allow planting about 60 potatoes. I note that I need to set aside an additional 20 seed potatoes.

In the meantime, I put lights on a smaller shore pine beside our Christmas tree that has grown too big, and I make a wreath and keep adding materials to include more red color. I race down to join the Midnight Madness shopping in town in the last hour that shops are open and buy a few gifts for the holiday. I also discuss logistics of travel to Gustavus where the Southeast Alaska Farmers Retreat will be held in February.

Music:

(Intro)
On My Own by Bail Bonds

(Christmas Tree & Wreath Clips)
Oh Christmas Tree instrumental by Jingle Punks

(Downtown Wrangell Midnight Madness)
Christmas Village by Aaron Kenny

(Sawdust Shoveled & Pitchforking Seaweed)
At The Fair by The Green Orbs