FARM & FOOD FRIDAY is an informal monthly meet-up for Central Peninsula folks interested in local food or farming, 8:30 – 9:30 am on the 3rd Friday of the month, currently via Zoom. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and call or log in with your questions, ideas and spirit of cooperation for building a thriving local food system. All are welcome. Register in advance at https://bit.ly/2SvXjI2. Upcoming dates are Oct. 16, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18.
October theme: Challenges and successes: your stories from the 2020 growing season. Sponsored by Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District and Kenai Local Food Connection.
In lieu of the 4-hour plant sale that takes place annually in front of Three Bears in Kenai, Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District brings you a two-week opportunity to select vegetable, flower and herb starts, berry bushes, certified organic compost and more, all from small-scale producers of the Central Peninsula.
How it works: 1) SHOP at Kenai Soil & Water’s on-line storefront at www.AlaskaFoodHub.org. 2) To make purchases, you must first CREATE AN ACCOUNT. At the top of the page, select “Sign Up.” Then enter your email address and choose a password. 3) PLACE YOUR ORDER with a credit/debit card. Enter discount code “KSWCD10” for 10% off all items on Alaska Food Hub, including items sold by Kenai Soil & Water. 4) PICK UP YOUR ORDER at Soldotna Cook Inletkeeper Community Action Studio, 35911 Kenai Spur Hwy Ste 13, near The Mattress Ranch. Food Hub staff will deliver items to your car.
SCHEDULE:
Shopping Period 1: noon, Friday, May 15 to 10 pm, Monday, May 18
Pick-up Day 1: 4 – 7 pm, Wednesday, May 20
Shopping Period 2: noon, Friday, May 22 to 10 pm, Monday, May 25
Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District and Kenai Local Food Connection are happy to announce the arrival of the 2020 Kenai Peninsula Local Food Directory. In the directory you’ll find sources of locally grown and harvested food from farms, fish sites, retail stores, mobile food trucks and on-line markets. You’ll also find details on all of the Kenai Peninsula’s farmers markets. You can download the directory by clicking on the image below or going to www.KenaiLocalFood.org. You can also pick up a copy at many local grocery stores and businesses including Cad-Re Feeds, Everything Bagels, fresh365, Lucy’s Market, Odie’s Deli, Charlotte’s and Kenai Feed.
The 7th annual Harvest Moon Local Festival was another great success with 48 booths,cooking demonstrations, kids’ activities, the ever-popular Fermentation Station, live music, juggling and story-telling, the first ever Harvest Moon Pie Baking Contest and 3000+ visitors! Check out this great coverage and photo essay by Brian Mazurek at the Peninsula Clarion: https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/pies-produce-and-pickling/
Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District partners with Kenai Local Food Connection to publish and distribute the annual update of The Kenai Loves Local Food Directory. By the end of April, you’ll be able to find the directory at libraries, visitors centers and local food businesses from Nikiski to Homer. Call Kenai Soil & Water for additional copies: (907) 283-8732 x 5.
Shopping Farmers Fresh Market at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank
Alaska Food Hub Wednesdays, May – October Locations in Homer (from May 1), Soldotna (from May 15), Seldovia (from May 22) Robbi Mixon, 907-235-4068 x 23 www.alaskafoodhub.org
Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Farmers Market Tuesday, 3 – 6 pm, June 11 – September 10 K-Beach Rd. at Community College Dr. 907-262-3111
Homer Farmers Market Wednesday, 2 – 5 pm, Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm May 25 – Sept . 28 Ocean Drive, across from The Washboard Robbi Mixon, 299-7540 www.homerfarmersmarket.org
Ninilchik Farmers Market Sunday, 1 – 5 pm June 2 – July 28 Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds Tiffany Sherman, 907-567-3670 www.ninilchikfarmersmarket.com
Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market (the area’s oldest farmers market) Saturday, 10 am – 2 pm, June 1 – Sept. 28 Kenai Spur Hwy at E. Corral Ave Elaine & Bill Howell, 907-394-2175 Facebook page
Soldotna Wednesday Market Wednesday, 11 am – 6 pm, June 5 – Aug. 28 Soldotna Creek Park Annette Villa, 907-252-7264 www.soldotnawednesdaymarket.com
Calling all farmers, fishers, local food business and local food supporters! Sign up today to list your business or organization in the 2019 Kenai Loves Local Food Directory! Choose your level of support: individual business ($25), farmers market ($75) or directory sponsor ($150, includes logo and business listing if desired). You’ll find registration and payment info here.
by Victoria Petersen, Peninsula Clarion, Friday, September 14, 2018
Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District are expanding their catalog of affordable agricultural rental equipment through a charitable project that benefits both farmers and the community.
Three pieces of equipment, which includes a potato digger, a potato washer and a potato planter, were purchased with the assistance of grants from the Kenai Peninsula Foundation, the Rasmuson Foundation and Western SARE. The equipment can be rented to small-scale farmers for $25 day, plus a donation of 25 pounds of potatoes to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. It’s a small price to pay for equipment that could cost a single farmer thousands.
Wondering what it takes to produce and sell food on the Kenai Peninsula? Join us
Saturday, Sept. 8 to tour three local farms that have met the challenge in unique ways. Meet the farmers and hear their stories: how their farms evolved, lessons learned along the way and why they are passionate about what they do. Taste a variety of Alaska Grown wines to complete the tour. This tour, sponsored by Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District and Kenai Local Food Connection, in collaboration with Alaska Farm Tours, is the special kick-off event for Harvest Moon Local Food Week, Sept. 8 – 15, 2018.
Alaska’s Certified Weed-Free Gravel Program is a voluntary inspection program administered by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources/Plant Materials Center and carried out on the Kenai Peninsula by the Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District. The purpose of the program is to increase the availability of weed-free products to land managers working in sensitive areas to prevent the spread of invasive weeds and protect fish and wildlife habitat.
The demand for certified weed-free gravel is growing. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge began requiring certified weed-free gravel for all construction projects within Refuge boundaries in late 2013. The US Forest Service, US Department of Transportation and BLM have also started to include weed-free provisions in their contracts. We expect demand to continue to expand as a result of large-scale highway projects slated for the Kenai Peninsula.
Getting certified is probably easier than you think. The first thing to know is that not all weeds are on the invasive list. The second is that even when invasive weeds are found, it is possible to treat them to meet certification requirements. Keep in mind that gravel has to be inspected before being moved. Certificates are good for 1 – 6 months depending on time of year and site conditions.
Certification is affordable. The annual fee of $500 includes three to four inspections and expert guidance on weed prevention and effective control measures at one site up to 5 acres. Partial-year certification is also available for short-term projects.
Be ready to bid on projects requiring certified weed-free gravel by requesting inspection early. Inspections are scheduled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
For an inspection request form and fee schedule or request information about our Certified Weed-Free Forage program, email kenaiswcd@gmail.com, or call 283-8732 x 5. To learn more about what weeds are a problem and why, visit www.kenaiweeds.org.
