The Kenai Peninsula District area includes 21 myriad communities with a total population of just over 60,000. The district serves communities from across Cook Inlet in Tyonek and throughout the peninsula, which is just south of Anchorage. Larger communities include Kenai, Soldotna, Homer and Seward.
Many of the communities are accessible by road, but others can only be reached by air or boat. Oil, tourism and fisheries drive the economy, and the Kenai Peninsula is also the fastest-growing agricultural region in Alaska, with the number of farms increasing at almost three times the rate of the rest of the state.
Outreach includes agriculture and horticulture; home, health and family development; integrated pest management; nutrition; and 4-H and youth development.
Soil Testing and Interpretation
Visit our soil testing page for all the information you need to test your soil and interpret how much fertilizer you need (plus free online calculators).
Spruce Bark Beetles: What you need to know
Spruce Bark Beetles are making an impact on spruce trees across the Kenai Peninsula. Visit the Alaska Spruce Beetle website then type "bark beetle" in the search box in order to:
- learn what bark beetles are and how they damage trees.
- learn bark beetle groups in Alaska.
- learn signs and symptoms of bark beetle activity.
- learn potential bark beetle threats to Alaska.
- become familiar with the vocabulary of bark beetles.
For even more information, view this Spruce Beetle publication.
Upcoming events
Events
Feb 26
UAF online/virtual event
Thursday, February 26, 2026, 10 – 11am
Heidi Rader, University of Alaska Fairbanks professor of Extension, will discuss how and why to re-purpose one story into multiple outreach products: from an article to a blog post to a video and more. Drawing on almost two decades of experience producing dozens of YouTube videos and writing a successful blog, this session will focus on the value of engaging with audiences online, leveraging Extension's history as a trusted, research-based source of information (with no ads), to reach local audiences at different scales.
This session will focus on building a repeatable content workflow that helps educators adapt their messages across formats efficiently, while adapting the content for different target audiences to maximize reach and maintain relevance.
The talk is geared to Extension professionals at land-grant universities throughout the United States. Register using the online form.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Southeast CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Kodiak CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar, Tribes CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Feb 28
UAF online/virtual event
Friday, February 27, 2026, 3 – 5pm
Registration is open for a new Alaska master gardener course, which will be taught over Zoom.
Casey Matney and Darren Snyder, agriculture and horticulture agents with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, will lead the course. It provides a broad horticultural background and includes Alaska-specific lessons on botany, soils, vegetable production using organic and conventional techniques, integrated pest management, greenhouses, lawns, houseplants, trees and shrubs, flowers and invasive plants.
Alaska master gardeners are credentialed by the UAF Cooperative Extension Service and are located in communities throughout the state. The prerequisites for becoming a master gardener include familiarity with Alaska gardening conditions and a commitment to 40 hours of volunteer time. Classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. from Dec. 2 to Feb. 27, 2026, with a break for the holidays. The cost is $250, which includes a copy of "Alaska's Sustainable Gardening Handbook." Registrants will receive a recording of each class.
Register at https://bit.ly/OnlineMasterGarden before Nov. 21, 2025.
For more information, contact Casey Matney, camatney@alaska.edu, 907-262-3443, or visit the UAF master gardener webpage.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu.
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Southeast CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Kodiak CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar, Tribes CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Feb 28
Contact organizer
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 9am – 5pm
The Delta Farm Forum is an annual event for the Interior Alaska agriculture and farming community. The 2026 event is the 54th annual forum. Throughout the day, relevant information will be presented from agricultural producers, scientists and researchers, representatives from businesses and agricultural agencies. A sit-down potluck luncheon will be served from noon-1:30 p.m., and door prizes from our sponsors are given away throughout the day. Must be present to win!
Sponsored by the UAF Cooperative Extension Service and Salcha-Delta Soil and Water Conservation District.
This event is free and open to the public.
Main dishes, potato & dinner rolls will be provided by our sponsors. Guests are asked to follow this schedule when bringing a dish: A-F = vegetable or fruit, G-L = desserts, M-R = pasta or rice, S-Z = salads.
Location: Delta High School Small Gymnasium, 1664 N.Clearwater Ave, Delta Junction
For more information, contact Eve Karczmarczyk at eekarczmarczyk@alaska.edu or 907-895-4215.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu.
This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Categories: Public events calendar - Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension calendar, Anchorage CES calendar, Bethel CES calendar, Bristol Bay/Dillingham CES calendar, Delta Junction CES calendar, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar, Northwest/Nome CES calendar, Sitka CES calendar, Fairbanks/Tanana CES calendar, Tribes CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Events
Monday - Thur., 9 am - 2 pm
Phone: 907-262-5824
Email: soldotna.ces@alaska.edu
