Maine Seaweed

 Maine Seaweed

Maine Seaweed, a family owned business on the coast of Maine, the quiet Gouldsboro Bay, sell hand harvested and dried Atlantic seaweed.  A reliable and trustworthy source of a variety of seaweed, Maine Seaweed is run a little bit like a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). 

The owner Larch Hanson, otherwise known as the seaweed man has invited us all for a stay free of charge, for a day or two, to get to know the spirit and source of the seaweed ... giving us a more soulful experience with it.

A wise and spiritual man, Larch often takes in apprentices and educates customers, helping to give others not only a great reliable source of seaweed, but also a deep connection to it.   This kind of customer service is quite rare, clearly above and beyond expectation ...

 Seaweed: Health and Nutrition

Seaweed is a plant that is found growing naturally in salt water and is considered to be a valuable nutritional vegetable. This vitamin and mineral rich sea vegetable has plenty of nutritional value and lots of healing potency to share with us.  Seaweeds are the most mineral-rich of any vegetable and also contain a variety of vitamins, fiber and protein. Seaweed provides a rich source of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium and magnesium because these minerals are concentrated in sea water. Seaweeds contain vitamins A and C. They are also one of the few vegetable sources of vitamin B-12. Most seaweeds also contain the fiber molecule algin, which is capable of binding minerals.  Most seaweeds are high in essential amino acids, which makes them valuable sources of vegetable protein in a vegetarian or mostly meatless diet. Coming from an ocean environment, they also contain sodium, but a much smaller amount compared with salt, and work great as a salt substitute.

The health benefits of seaweed include blood sugar regulation, cancer prevention, cardiovascular health, hair growth, degenerative disease combatant, hormone support, detoxification, infection control, weight loss, intestinal cleanser and healer, respiratory enhancer, sexual health, wound healer and thyroid balancer.

Maine Seaweed & The Seaweed Man

Maine Seaweed has been in business for four decades and it shows.  If you are looking for a safe source of quality seaweed at a great price I don't think it can get any better than this.  Seaweed is important, not only as a food, but also as a medicine.  Fresh harvested seaweed from a reliable source is much more safe than any supplements or packages on the shelves.  Seaweed makes a great survival food because most varieties are able to be stored for two years.

The Seaweed Man, Larch Hanson is soulful, rich in personality and nice to talk with.  I am sure the waters are just as happy to have him there as he is to be there.  To learn more about him, visit him at his blog or at Maine Seaweed.  There is so much to be learned on both sites including lots of great recipes.

My Experience

My family and I tried several different varieties of seaweed from the seaweed man, all included in the variety pack.  The variety pack includes individual bags of kelp, alaria, digitata, dulse, and a soup mix/survival pack blend of seaweeds. The Variety Pack comes complete with recipes that emphasize simple and delicious healing soups.  The cost is $35.00.  This is a pound of seaweed that will last awhile, even if you eat some everyday.  The seaweed was really good ... dried nicely and tasted great.  We especially liked the kelp, which is delicious to munch on, especially after you bake it.  Yummmm!!!!!  I cannot recommend Maine Seaweed enough.  For more information, or to order please visit Maine Seaweed.

"I didn’t come to this forest to become the seaweed harvester. I came to sit, emptying myself. I don’t go to the garden to just get food. I go to become empty/receptive to plant voices/pulsations. A boat is not for “getting to the islands”. It is for sitting, zazen, and rather than “watching the breath,” one may start with “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream". " - Larch Hanson