FARM TOURS IN PALMER
Alaska's Agricultural CapitolPalmer is known for growing giant vegetables, but the agriculture in the region is so much more unique and diverse. From visiting Musk Ox, to learning about vegetable production, you can expereince the rich history and vibrant growing season in Alaska. Please note: most farm tours are only available in Summer.
Palmer, AK 99645
Experience the rich culture and history behind Alaska's farms and food. Join us for an in-depth half day farm tour, perfect for folks looking for the ultimate Anchorage day trips, with stops at historical sites, living homesteads, and urban food landscapes to understand the lives of Alaska's farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders who call Alaska home.
Palmer, AK 99645
Bushes Bunches Produce Stand is a family owned business that opened in 1954. They supply Palmer, Alaska and the surrounding areas of Wasilla and Anchorage with fresh local produce at our farmers market stand located just outside of Palmer. They are more than just a produce stand. With over 14 acres in production they are an active Alaska farm specializing in local vegetables.
Fresh Starts Farms LLC is a small-scale agricultural business based in Palmer, AK.
Specializing in organic produce, the farm is dedicated to sustainable farming practices and providing fresh, locally grown food to the community.
Palmer, AK 99645
They offer FREE walking tour of our snowy Farm with director Jodie Anderson as she provides information and history. The Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center is a working research farm serving Southcentral Alaska. It has 260 acres of cultivated land and 800 acres of forestland.
Palmer, AK 99645
Just a couple minutes North of downtown Palmer, the Musk Ox Farm is a non-profit organization dedicated to the domestication of the musk ox and to the promotion of qiviut production as a gentle and sustainable agricultural practice in the far north. Tour the farm and learn about these arctic ungulates!
Pyrah's is an authentic Matanuska Valley farm with an astounding presence in the community. They host several events throughout the year such as the Fall Harvest Festival and Country Christmas, as well as being a "U-Pick" farm where you can gather your vegetables fresh from the field.
The Reindeer Farm sits at the feet of Bodenburg Butte just 10 minutes out of downtown Palmer. The farm site was originally part of the Matauska Colony Project, operating as a dairy farm, but would move to reindeer and various other animals in the 1980s. Being the only stop in the valley to offer tours of a maintained herd of 100-300 reindeer, 2 elk, a bison, and a moose (including petting and feeding), as well as horseback tours, it is an incredible experience for the whole family.
Revel Treks & Tours guides small group trips in Palmer, Alaska. From mild to wild, Revel specializes in hiking trips, history tours, and farm tours and more! Experience Alaska like a true local!
At Sun Circle Farm I offer a large variety of fresh, high quality, USDA-Certified Organic produce and flowers. It is my belief that when I view the farm holistically and focus on putting in place complimentary systems encouraging healthy living soils and biologically diverse plant rotations, I move towards true sustainability.
I started the farm in 2011 with half a rough-tilled acre and no moose fence. Over the years we have steadily expanded. In 2021 we added yet another half-acre to accommodate our growing flower enterprise, bringing our total area under cultivation to about 2 1/2-3 acres behind a (usually effective!) moose-and-cattle fence. We currently have 9 passive covered structures and one "real" greenhouse with heat and year-round cover. The years have seen us add an irrigation system, our second walk-in cooler, various new roof lines and a "flower studio" addition to the harvest shed, and an ever-evolving array of new tools and techniques.
Recently I have been focused on applying techniques such as minimal tillage, occultation, mulching and flame weeding in an attempt to see how little tillage we can pull off in our cold soils. I am excited to view agriculture not only as an opportunity to produce healthy non-toxic nutrient-dense food for my community, but also to begin to address issues around climate change and carbon sequestration. Next on my wish-list are hedgerows and an expanding variety of perennial crops to further support not only our soil but the beneficial insects and birds that do so much to maintain a healthy balance in our little ecosystem.
Sun Circle Farm has been USDA Certified Organic since 2017, currently under Oregon Tilth. While I have been growing in accordance with the basic rules of organic agriculture since I began farming, pursuing Organic Certification allowed me to assure my growing customer base that I was truly committed to following ALL the rules. We undergo an annual site inspection and maintain thorough records of everything that we add to our soils or processes. I appreciate the opportunity to stand by my beliefs in the most transparent and accountable way currently possible. When I say that "I grow organically" it is not some watered-down convenient version that allows for chemical fertilizers or herbicides when things get challenging. When I say that I NEVER use chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, I want my customers to be fully assured that I mean NEVER.
I love farming and take great pride in continuing to learn and to improve in order to bring you the best-tasting and healthiest fresh produce and flowers possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting small scale sustainable agriculture, my family, and my farm.