On the calendar, spring officially begins March 21. In reality, we’ve got a while yet before anyone in southcentral Alaska is digging in the dirt, but that doesn’t stop intrepid growers from getting started.
On March 2, the Central Peninsula Garden Club had its annual get-ready-for-spring roundtables event at Peninsula Grace Brethren Church on Kalifornsky Beach Road in Soldotna, and a new opportunity for year-round greens has sprouted up in Soldotna.
Listen to the March Keani Garden Talk to find out more, and tune in next month, April 20, for more about what's coming up in the local food scene on the central Kenai Peninsula.
Links from this episode:
Fresh365 at Whistle Hill in Soldotna
Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District
Gardening calendar:
- Kenai Peninsula College has a QuickBooks Online class for Ag Producers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 26. It’s free for agricultural producers with an Alaska business license. Sign up through the Small Business Development Center.
- For anyone thinking about selling at a farmer’s market this season, now’s the time to start an application. You can find information on all the local markets at kenaisoilandwater.org.
- March 29 is the deadline to submit proposals to use the Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District’s DEC-approved mobile kitchen trailer, for use in preparing or serving food at events or preparing value-added food products. E-mail kenaiswcd@gmail.com for more information.
- The Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District is looking for an occasional equipment operator this summer. If you happen to have a tractor, 60 horse or larger, give Heidi a call at Kenai Soil and Water, 283-8732.
- The Central Peninsula Garden Club has its next monthly meeting at 7 p.m. April 10 at Peninsula Grace Brethren Church on K-Beach Road. The topic is “Everything you need to know about starting seeds for your garden.” You do not need to be a member to attend, although there are some members-only events coming up this season.
- Alaska Food Hub information and vendor training will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. April 10 at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association Building on K-Beach Road. The Alaska Food Hub is an online farmers market with distribution points in Soldotna, Homer and Seldovia. For more information, visit www.alaskafoodhub.org.
- A Keep Alaska Wild invasive species workshop will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. April 17 at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association Building on K-Beach. Learn how to prevent the spread of invasive species. It’s a free workshop put on by the Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Weed Management Area. For more information, visit www.kenaiweeds.org.
- The next monthly Kenai Local Food Connection meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. April 18 at the Kenai Peninsula College Library in Soldotna. It’s a grassroots effort to grow the local food movement and is open to the public.
- Farm and Food Friday is held the third Friday of every month. The next meeting is April 19 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Odie’s Deli in Soldotna. It’s an informal opportunity to connect with fellow farmers and farm-supporting organizations. For information, call Heidi Chay at 283-8732, ext. 5.
