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
Apr 19
Contact organizer
Sunday, April 19, 2026, 11am – 3:30pm
UAF Professor of Extension Sarah Lewis will offer three food preservation and entrepreneurship classes at The Classic Cook. Please come to one or all three!
11 a.m. - Pressure Canning Basics. $20 — In this class, Sarah will teach the science of pressure canning and demonstrate the safe use of pressure canners for home use.
12:30 p.m. - Pickling & Fermenting Vegetables. $25 — Do you love pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, and kim-chi? You'll be astonished by how easy it is to make your own! In this class you will learn the basics of lacto-fermentation and vinegar pickling for tasty homemade snacks and digestive health.
2 p.m. - Selling Homemade Food in Alaska. $20 — If you have a homemade foods business, would like to start one, or might sell homemade foods through your market, knowledge of Alaska's new homemade foods rules will help ensure you're in compliance. It's important to understand the risks and opportunities associated with selling either potentially harmful or non-potentially harmful foods from a home-based business.
Register at https://bit.ly/KPClasses2026
Location: The Classic Cook, 378 East Pioneer Ave., Homer.
For more information, contact Lewis at sarah.lewis@alaska.edu or 907-455-2010.
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, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Apr 20
Contact organizer
Monday, April 20, 2026, 10am – 12pm
Pressure canner dial gauges should be tested every year to ensure they reach the pressure and temperature needed to preserve foods safely. It’s a fast, free test and Professor of Extension, Sarah Lewis, can also answer your questions about pressure canners and food preservation.
Location: Homer Public Library, 500 Hazel Ave., Homer
For more information, contact Lewis at sarah.lewis@alaska.edu or 907-455-2010.
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, Kenai/Soldotna CES calendar
Could this event have 200 or more attendees? There are campus considerations for large events.: FALSE
Apr 21
UAF online/virtual event
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 9am – 5pm
This three-day course is for Alaskans preparing for the certified pesticide exam with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The training will be offered over Zoom and includes all necessary study materials for the categories of your choice. Category descriptions can be found on the DEC Pesticide Control Program website: https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/pest/certified-applicators/categories/
Two sessions are scheduled in 2026: Jan. 27-29; April 21-23. For information on course content, contact Phil Kaspari, pnkaspari@alaska.edu or 907-895-4215. Register at https://bit.ly/PSEPtraining.
To pick up training materials at a local Cooperative Extension office: $75. To have training materials mailed to you: $100.
REGISTRATION CLOSES 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 for the January class; 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 for the April class. The Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the training date.
Participants are encouraged to become familiar with the materials and math needed prior to the training. Visit https://bit.ly/UAF-PSEP for more information and PSEP math links. Post-training exams need to be scheduled separately with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation office.
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
Events
Monday - Thur., 9 am - 2 pm
Phone: 907-262-5824
Email: soldotna.ces@alaska.edu
