The Mat-Su Copper River Cooperative Extension Service district office is located in Palmer, 42 miles northeast of Anchorage. The district is the size of West Virginia, covering a region stretching from Valdez in the south to Cantwell to the north.
It is the fastest-growing region in Alaska, with a population of about 116,000 with a diverse economy. It is considered Alaska’s agricultural heartland and world-famous for the giant vegetables grown there, as well as potatoes, oats, hay, greenhouse produce and sod. The offices are located on the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center, a working research farm.
The district offers outreach programs in agriculture and horticulture; health, home and family development; integrated pest management; nutrition; and 4-H and youth development.
Upcoming events
Events
Apr 11
Contact organizer
Saturday, April 11, 2026, 10am – 2pm
Does the thought of speaking in front of others make you sweat? 4-H presentations to the rescue! Practicing and participating in presentation opportunities in 4-H will help youth:
- Learn to organize and present information
- Gain self-confidence and public speaking skills
- Become more knowledgeable and teach others
- Respond to questions
- Compete for awards and recognition.
Presentation contests are open to all enrolled Mat-Su/Copper River 4-H members. Cloverbud presentations are awarded participation ribbons only, not a placing.
Demonstrations, illustrated talks and speeches will be judged in separate age categories:
- Cloverbuds: ages 5–7
- Junior: ages 8–11
- Intermediate: ages 12–14
- Senior: ages 15–18
- *Team presentations are judged all ages together.
- There are resources on the state Public Presentation Resources website.
The grand and reserve champion of each age division in each category are eligible to participate in State Presentation Contest in June.
Location: Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center, 1509 S. Georgeson Drive, Palmer.
Contact Samantha Blumenkonig at sjrussell5@alaska.edu for more information. Register in Z-suite or by contacting Samantha.
*Some presentation slots may be available on Friday, April 10. Let Samantha know if that's preferred.
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: Statewide 4-H calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River 4-H calendar, Mat-Su/Copper River CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Apr 14
Contact organizer
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 12 – 1pm
The UAF Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension will host a series of hourlong lunch seminars. Presentations will focus on engaging people in a conversation about the issues their research surrounds, and will be relatively informal and friendly. Talks will be about 30 minutes long, with plenty of time for questions and conversations. Register using the online form or visit https://bit.ly/CircumpolarConnections.
During these seminars, researchers will present ideas to inspire interdisciplinary collaboration and build relationships around Alaska's food systems.
Researchers and students at University of Alaska, other circumpolar institutions, and land-grant university Experiment Stations are invited to listen to IANRE researchers present ideas that spark curiosity and inspire new pathways forward.
While the seminars will focus on agriculture in the sub-Arctic and Arctic, the broader aim is to create a space for connection and dialogue, ultimately strengthening research across disciplines to support the circumpolar food system.
For more information, contact Laura Weingartner at lgweingartner@alaska.edu or 907-474-6009.
Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris 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
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Apr 15
UAF online/virtual event, Contact organizer
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 12 – 1pm
Mariculture — the cultivation of marine life such as shellfish and seaweeds — is an emerging and expanding sector in Alaska.
In this free presentation, Melissa “Missy” Good, a mariculture specialist with Alaska Sea Grant, will provide an overview of Alaska’s mariculture industry and its role in strengthening coastal economies and food security. She will highlight which species are being cultivated, including kelp and shellfish, and explore how these products move from sea to table. In addition to being nutritious foods, kelp and other seaweeds are used in a wide range of products, including fertilizers, animal feeds, biostimulants, food ingredients, and emerging biomaterials — creating new economic opportunities beyond direct consumption.
Missy is based in Kodiak at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center and also serves in a leadership role for the Alaska Mariculture Research and Training Center. Through this work, she advances statewide initiatives and collaborates with community members, industry partners, Alaska Native tribes and corporations, seafood processors, community leaders, and regulators to support sustainable mariculture development in Alaska.
Where: Zoom. Register using the online form or visit https://bit.ly/AlaskaMariculture.
For more information, contact Molly Johansson at 907-786-6313 or mjohansson@alaska.edu
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
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Events
Monday -10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed for lunch 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Phone: 907-745-3360
Fax: 907-745-6268
Email: matsu.ces@alaska.edu
We are located at 1509 S. Georgeson Dr. in Palmer at the Matanuska Experiment Farm. Find us with Google Maps!