agriculture

Kyra Wagner teaches a compost-making class last fall at the Kachemak Bay Campus high tunnel. Wagner will teach another class on composting Saturday, April 26, at 4:30 p.m. in conjunction with the free Southcentral Growers Conference. (Photo courtesy of Jill Burnham, Kachemak Bay Campus - Kenai Peninsula College)

Info, education on local agriculture to be featured at Southcentral Growers Conference

The two-day conference begins on April 25 at Kachemak Bay Campus.

 

Chickens are seen inside of a chicken house at Diamond M Ranch on Thursday, April 1, 2021, off Kalifornsky Beach Road near Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna council hears call to lessen chicken restrictions

The Soldotna City Council this month heard from people calling for a loosening of restrictions on raising chickens on residential properties in the city. Several… Continue reading

 

Kelsey Gravelle shows a hen named Frego and Abigail Price shows a goose named Sarah to Judge Mary Tryon at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H ag expo returns this weekend with animal shows, auction

The events take place at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28

Kelsey Gravelle shows a hen named Frego and Abigail Price shows a goose named Sarah to Judge Mary Tryon at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Diamond bleats at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Bjorkman bill would authorize tax relief for farmers

The exemption would newly only apply to farm operations that produce food for human and animal consumption

Diamond bleats at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Jenna Bedford, of Kenai Reindeer Farm, sits next to her reindeer with Juliana Bedford during the Fourth Annual Holiday Cheer Christmas Bazaar at the Old Carrs Mall in Kenai on Saturday.

Reindeer on the town

Antlered animals are making appearances at bazaars and holiday events

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Jenna Bedford, of Kenai Reindeer Farm, sits next to her reindeer with Juliana Bedford during the Fourth Annual Holiday Cheer Christmas Bazaar at the Old Carrs Mall in Kenai on Saturday.
Volunteers work the fermentation station at the Harvest Moon Local Food Festival at Soldotna Creek Park on Sept. 14, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Harvest Moon Local Food Festival returns Saturday

The event will feature live music, cooking demonstrations, educational talks, food trucks, guided edible walks, a pie-baking contest and the Fermentation Station

Volunteers work the fermentation station at the Harvest Moon Local Food Festival at Soldotna Creek Park on Sept. 14, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H expo kicks off in Soldotna

Livestock competition rewards shape, showmanship

Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H Agriculture Expo set for Aug. 4-6

The annual expo is a weekend to focus on agriculture and 4-H in the community and in Alaska

Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Gerlach gives a presentation on Avian Influenza Virus at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Health officials warn of avian influenza, activity still low

An epidemiology bulletin published by the State Department of Health late last month warns of the presence of H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, in… Continue reading

Alaska State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Gerlach gives a presentation on Avian Influenza Virus at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Promotional image for "Nourishing the Kenai." (Photo courtesy Kenai Local Food Connection)

Local food doc to debut next week

Kenai Local Food Connection will next week host the first public screening of a new documentary, “Nourishing the Kenai.” The free showing will be held… Continue reading

Promotional image for "Nourishing the Kenai." (Photo courtesy Kenai Local Food Connection)
Alaska State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Gerlach gives a presentation on Avian Influenza Virus at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Avian influenza expected to return to Alaska with migrating birds

The variant is described as “highly pathogenic” because it has the ability to kill poultry — representing a threat to food security and economics.

Alaska State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Gerlach gives a presentation on Avian Influenza Virus at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Foreground, from left: Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank and Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner watch as Kenai City Attorney Scott Bloom wordsmiths an amendment to an ordinance during a council meeting on Wednesday at Kenai City Hall, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. Background from left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Deborah Sounart and Alex Douthit discuss the legislation, which allows more city residents to keep chickens on their property. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai OKs chickens for more city residents

Council debate on the issue lasted for roughly four hours

Foreground, from left: Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank and Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner watch as Kenai City Attorney Scott Bloom wordsmiths an amendment to an ordinance during a council meeting on Wednesday at Kenai City Hall, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. Background from left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Deborah Sounart and Alex Douthit discuss the legislation, which allows more city residents to keep chickens on their property. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Council member Alex Douthit testifies in support of legislation allowing chickens on some city lots during a meeting of the Kenai Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai planning group gives conditional thumbs-up to chicken ordinance

The legislation would allow Kenai residents to keep up to 12 chicken hens on certain lots

Kenai City Council member Alex Douthit testifies in support of legislation allowing chickens on some city lots during a meeting of the Kenai Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion file
Chickens are seen inside of a chicken house at Diamond M Ranch on April 1, 2021, off Kalifornsky Beach Road near Kenai.

Kenai ordinance would allow chickens in some city zones

The legislation comes as Alaska, like other states, is experiencing an egg shortage

Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion file
Chickens are seen inside of a chicken house at Diamond M Ranch on April 1, 2021, off Kalifornsky Beach Road near Kenai.
Jake Dye / Peninsula Clarion 
Mike O’Brien shows off his cherries Wednesday at O’Brien Garden & Trees in Nikiski.

Harvesting knowledge

Nikiski farmer values learning over dollars

Jake Dye / Peninsula Clarion 
Mike O’Brien shows off his cherries Wednesday at O’Brien Garden & Trees in Nikiski.
Mike O’Brien checks on his peaches at O’Brien Garden and Trees in Nikiski, Alaska, on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

A taste of autumn

Orchard in Nikiski shares apple harvest.

Mike O’Brien checks on his peaches at O’Brien Garden and Trees in Nikiski, Alaska, on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Peninsula Clarion file
Auctioneers Andy Kriner, left, and Rayne, Reynolds celebrate a successful sale during the 4-H Junior Market Livestock Auction at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Aug. 17, 2019 at the fairgrounds in Ninilchik.

4-H expo to kick off in Soldotna on Friday

The expo was previously held in Ninilchik, but the Soldotna City Council voted to relocate it.

Peninsula Clarion file
Auctioneers Andy Kriner, left, and Rayne, Reynolds celebrate a successful sale during the 4-H Junior Market Livestock Auction at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Aug. 17, 2019 at the fairgrounds in Ninilchik.
Robert Gibson of Cooper Landing picks barley by hand at a small barley field planted by the Kenai Peninsula Borough in a vacant gravel pit on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Gibson uses three different methods to pick the barley, including using a scythe and a hand sickle. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough seeks to grow local agriculture

Borough forming agricultural land program, seeking letters

Robert Gibson of Cooper Landing picks barley by hand at a small barley field planted by the Kenai Peninsula Borough in a vacant gravel pit on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Gibson uses three different methods to pick the barley, including using a scythe and a hand sickle. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)