Farmers Market Find: Wild Alaskan Salmon, Sweet Blueberries

This Saturday's catch of the day at the is wild Alaskan salmon caught by Dan Decker on the Bering Sea. Decker has been commercial fishing in Alaska since late April. His brother, Mike Decker, calls the salmon unique. "They're something special," he said.

"It's that cold Alaska water that makes the meat firm," he said. "Plus the fish are healthy. They have no toxins."

Decker says the salmon are caught in a gill net and immediately processed, filleted and flash frozen. "My brother puts them on freezer truck and sends the fish to Michigan. Once they're frozen, they're not thawed again until they're ready to eat"

Wild Alaskan salmon is $14 a pound.

Decker said his brother is known as Montana Dan because he lives in Big Sky Country part of the year. "We're from Bad Axe, but Dan travels all over the world. He lives in Montana part of the year. He skis, white water rafts – he's a real outdoorsman. He's adventurous."

Montana Dan has appeared on the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, which portrays life aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea.

Blueberries

Market Master Gwen Ross says come to the market this weekend for Michigan blueberries, which are in season in July. 

"Michigan blueberries are so sweet," said Ross, who took some home last week to make jam.

Steve Elzinga is the owner and operator of Eerie Orchards near Toledo. He produces thousands of quarts of blueberries from 1,800 blueberry plants.

Elzinga said a blueberry's sweetness is the function of how much sunlight they receive. "We had a difficult spring with all the rain, but June has been sunny and warm" and the berries are sweet.

Blueberries sell for $2.50 a pound.