A colossal noise awakens me every morning at the break of dawn. Louder than any alarm clock, it forces me out of bed to greet the day whether I want to or not. My husband, sons, daughters, and grandchildren sleep right through it. I’ve learned that the racket is the sound of seaweed being harvested off of rocks or nearby ledges as part of Maine’s emerging aquaculture industry

Rockweed courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

So I went to a talk by Sarah Redmond, Extension Associate at the Maine Sea Grant College Program. I learned that Maine is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and versatile seaweeds, also known as sea vegetables, ocean herbs, sea plants, and marine macroalgae. Seaweeds are used for food, extracts, beauty, and health products. They are a valuable source of essential minerals and vitamins.

Unless you want to power up your boat between 4-6 a.m., wake all the neighbors, scuba dive the deeps, or yank the rockweed clinging to ledges, I suggest you try this ocean bounty  by buying a bag of dried seaweed at the health food store.

Here are some easy things to do with seaweed.

• blanch rockweed tips, add to pizza, rice, or salad.

• simmer and use for a nutritious broth,

• simmer to soften, add sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. Marinate and

add to salad with carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado.

• Try a seaweed and cucumber salad. Top with sesame seeds.

• mulch or fertilize your garden plants.

These suggestions comes from sarah.redmond@maine.edu. She has many ideas.