Throughout Interior Alaska villages there are many individual and community efforts underway that focus on home and community gardens, and small-scale agriculture. In at least two communities, Nulato and Galena, local educators  are examining ways to incorporate gardening into school curricula and activities. 

In particular, there are two village-based food projects that the  Cooperative Extension Service is  implementing in this region.   Both projects are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.  The first, a domestic berry and vegetable trial,  has been underway since 2006, and will be completed in the fall of 2009.  The second provides technical support to Interior Alaska villages applying to the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program.    

Funded by a special grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, the Cooperative Extension Service is overseeing a three-year trial of several varieties of domestic berries. Located in six Interior Alaska villages, volunteers also planted community gardens and tended small community greenhouses. Based on information gained from these activities, CES developed simple  information sheets and budget templates that may be helpful to village residents interested in expanding their home gardens, or organizing a community share agriculture program, or other cooperative effort.     

For more information about the project, to  view photos, and to download information sheets, go to:

This is a new program beginning operation in fall of 2009.  The Cooperative Extension Service  is designing and implementing a training and technical assistance (T&TA) program to support applicants to the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program, a project of the Cooperative Research Education and Extension Service of the USDA.  The T&TA program during this initial phase is restricted to providing training and technical assistance only to communities in the Tanana Chiefs Conference region.  Should this pilot project prove to be effective and if additional funding can be secured, the program will be expanded to include other regions in the state. 

For more information about what services the program offers, as well as  tips for planning and preparing Community Food Projects for Alaskan communities, workshop materials, and other program-related publications, go to: