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Palmer
Forty-Two miles northeast of Anchorage, Palmer is located in the center of the lush farmlands of the Matanuska Valley. Palmer is the seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough which spans 23,000 square miles. Mat-Su is the link between Alaska's two largest cities, Anchorage to the south and Fairbanks to the north. Palmer�s location makes it easy to visit Hatcher Pass Recreation Area and explore Independence Mine, hike countless trails to glaciers, up rugged mountains, or picnic beside a rushing river.
Just a few miles outside of the town is a farm comprised of 20 acres of land on the floor of a glacial valley. 4 acres are cleared for cultivation, and are protected by a 6' electric moose fence, where over 50 vegetable varieties are grown and cut flowers are raised beds. Potatoes are planted down the road from the farm on a 2/3 acre field. In addition, there are two greenhouses and 1/2 acre of land cleared for a raspberry field and a poultry run. The farm also has a small herb garden and an apple orchard and maintains beehives as well as raising chickens for family use of eggs and meat. The remaining acreage is wooded with birch and spruce trees and wild rose, highbush cranberries, currants and grasses make up the understory. The soils are glacial silt based, fairly low in natural fertility, but high in organic matter. The farm maintains sustainability with organic farming practices such as composting, green manure, organic amendments, low-tilth cultivation and intensive planting, completely avoids any use of agricultural chemicals. The primary focus of the farm is their Community Supported Agriculture program for which they provide 140 families with weekly deliveries from early June to the end of September, sold by seasonal subscription. From mid-May to early October they sell twice that quantity of produce and cut flowers at three local farmers markets. In addition they sell bedding plants through a garden store in Anchorage in late May and early June, and even grow custom specialty vegetables for a gourmet restaurant in Anchorage. Harvest becomes the primary activity in late August and September, along with garden clean up. Volunteers will be working on projects dealing with the harvest as well as all of the other aspects of the farm and should expect to work hard in the field, sometimes up to 10 hours a day. .: Project DurationTThis project is for six weeks: September 1st to October 15th.Number of Volunteer Positions: 2 .: AccommodationAccommodation will be in a bunkhouse on the property which is outfitted with a kitchen; there is an outhouse and cold water source for general use, and a washing machine..: Volunteer Requirements
.: Project Cost$2250.00 USDCost includes all accommodation and food for the duration of the program as well as airport pickup upon arrival, the first night�s stay in Anchorage, and transport to the program. |
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