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 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.
Events
Monday - Thur., 9 am - 2 pm
Phone: 907-262-5824
Email: soldotna.ces@alaska.edu
Learn to exercise and eat for optimal brain and bone health in a series of free lunchtime webinars hosted by AARP and led by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Cooperative Extension agent Sarah Lewis.
All workshops are from noon-1 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 2, Cooking for Brain Health: Research shows that some nutrients are especially helpful in increasing brain health and reducing the effects of aging on cognitive ability. In this class, you will learn how to easily include foods with brain-helpful nutrients in your daily diet. Sarah Lewis will also demonstrate a few recipes using brain-protective ingredients.
Thursday, Sept. 4, Exercising for Brain Health: Our brain relies on our body to help it function at its best. Some physical activities and movements can be especially helpful to the brain and your cognitive health. In this class you will learn about physical activity options to choose from and add to your week, using little or no special equipment. If you wish to follow Sarah Lewis as she demonstrates, dress in comfortable clothes that allow movement. A sturdy chair and either a carpet or a yoga mat will also be helpful.
Tuesday, Sept. 9, Cooking for Bone Health: Both men and women experience a decrease in bone density with age, increasing the risk of broken bones and frailty. We all know that calcium helps build bone and often rely on dairy products to fill this need. But what if you donʼt consume much milk and cheese, or need to reduce the amount of animal fats in your diet? In this hands-on, kitchen based class, you will learn how to easily include other foods with bone-strengthening nutrients in your weekly diet.
Thursday, Sept. 11, Exercising for Bone Health: Sarah Lewis is a certified leader for the Better Bones & Balance program developed at Oregon State University. In this class, she will introduce you to five simple strength training exercises that help maintain bone mass and increase strength and balance. If you wish to follow Sarah Lewis as she demonstrates, dress in comfortable clothes that allow movement. A sturdy chair and either a carpet or a yoga mat will also be helpful.
For more information and to register, visit the or .
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris@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.