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2025 Alaska Homestead
Expo
Vendors, workshops, and speakers for homesteading subjects including raising and butchering livestock, starting a homestead business, raising your own food sustainably, canning, cooking with whole foods, gardening, holistic living, herbalism, and so much more!
THE SECOND ANNUAL ALASKA HOMESTEAD EXPO
Mark your calendars for April 4-6, 2025 because you do NOT want to miss this!
If you have any interest in learning traditional skills like raising and butchering livestock, food preservation, making and using natural fibers, living off-grid, feeding your family from your own garden or orchard, herbalism and natural living, or more - join us at the Alaska Homestead Expo.
If you want to dive deep into pig or chicken butchering and processing, we've got you covered! Back by popular demand, Andy from Hand Hewn Farm will be here to teach you how to use and process everything but the squeal, including salt curing, smoke curing, and dry curing. Go beyond ham and bacon to utilize and feed your family a full variety foods from your pig. Not only will they be talking about processing pigs but they will also go into detail about other livestock and even wild game. There's a TON to learn here!
If you aren't interested in animal processing, no problem! We've got something for everyone!
We have more than 30 workshops for adults and there's a kids track (Kids ages 5-12) and a youth track (kids ages 12 and up) so the whole family can learn and have fun the entire weekend!
Tickets are $85/per person (earlybird sale through January 26) and $99 for regular price and kids tickets (limited number) are $25 if they plan to attend the kids/youth classes.
Your ticket covers the entire expo so spend all three days there if you want to! Attend as many workshops as you want to. One ticket gives you admittance for the entire weekend. (Price excludes food truck and vendor purchases)
What will be happening at this Expo? I’m so glad you asked!
Sponsored by:
FINAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
(No need to sign up for individual classes - there is plenty of room!)
FRIDAY APRIL 4
9 -10 AM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Greenhouse Growing in AK with an emphasis on Tomatoes (Mark Oathout - MidValley Greenhouse)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Herbs for Pandemics: Past, Present, Future (Darryl Patton - The Southern Herbalist)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Propagating Perennial Food Crops in Alaska (Josh Smith)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): The Humane Slaughter Demonstration (Graham Oakes)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Raising Pigs in AK Part 1 (Rayne Reynolds)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+):
10:30-11:30
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Longterm Food Storage & Root Cellars in AK (Sam Knapp)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Farming Using God's Pattern (Shawn & Beth Dougherty)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Don't Forget the Nutrients in Animal Nutrition (John Sylvester - AK Mill & Feed)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): The Humane Slaughter Demonstration (Graham Oakes)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Raising Pigs in AK Part 2 (Rayne Reynolds)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+):
NOON - 1 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Farming & Soil Health (David Stelzer - CEO Azure Standard)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Beekeeping (Nathan Broumley - President Midnight Sun Sustainable Bee Club)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): LADY HOMESTEADERS LUNCHEON w/SPEAKERS
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Getting Started Butchering Large Animals at Home (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Animal Nutrition for Alaskan Livestock (Rayne Reynolds)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Sourdough Basics (First Colony Farms)
ALSO 12-1 PM
Lady Homesteaders of Alaska VIP Lunch (Free for all members of Lady Homesteaders of AK)
1:30 - 2:30 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Veggie Fermentation - Simplified (Austin Durant)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Homestead Education: Passing on Skills (Even when you don't know what you're doing) (Shawn & Beth Dougherty)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Hydroponics (Peter Casey)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Breaking Down Large Animals: Anatomy & Physiology (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Family Milk Cow (Kelli Foreman)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Sourdough Basics (Repeat - First Colony Farms)
3-4 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): You CAN Build - Ana White
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Medicinal Mushrooms (Darryl Patton - The Southern Herbalist)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Making Birch Syrup in your Instant Pot (Suzy Crosby)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Breaking Down Large Animals: What Does Your Family Eat? (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): All Things Poultry (Don Dyer - Polaris Hatchery)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Sourdough Discard (First Colony Farms)
4:30 - 5:30 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): The Science of Making Your Own Animal Feed (Jeff Mattocks)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Grow it, Store it, Use it: Food for the Whole Year Without Electricity (Shawn & Beth Dougherty)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Beyond Homesteads: Building Alaska's Food Security with Market Farms (Jacob Burton)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Breaking Down Large Animals: Bones, Fat, Skin, Organs (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Raising Rabbits as a Sustainable Protein Source in AK (Michele Deering)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Sourdough - Beyond Basics (First Colony Farms)
(No need to reserve seats for classes - there is plenty of room!)
SATURDAY APRIL 5
9 -10 AM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Seed Saving (Saskia Esslinger of Teach Gardening)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Special Herbal Formulas for Common Ailments (Darryl Patton - The Southern Herbalist)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Soapmaking (Andrea Briggs)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Breaking Down Large Animals: Roasts, Grind, Steaks, Chucks (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Livestock First Aid (Sabrieta Holland)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Alaska Fruit: Growing Tips, Picking, Processing, and Preserving (Ilona Farr)
KITCHEN 2: (Seats only 20) Boron for Morons (Making homemade garden fertilizer) (Ellen VandeVisse of Good Earth Garden School)
10:30-11:30
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Faith over Fear (David Stelzer)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Homesteading/Self Sustaining on Small Acreage (Allie Barker)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Basics of Living Off Grid in Alaska (907 Solar)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Breaking Down Large Animals: Packaging & Storage (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Raising Sheep in AK (Sabrieta Holland)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Tallow 101 (Caity Alexander of Wanderflower Body Co.)
KITCHEN 2: (Seats only 20) ((repeat)) Boron for Morons (Making homemade garden fertilizer) (Ellen VandeVisse of Good Earth Garden School)
NOON - 1 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): The Self-Supporting Alaska Homestead - How to build a homestead business that will support your family and community (Tandy Hogate)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): The Frugal Homestead (Shawn & Beth Dougherty)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Recommendations for Establishing an Orchard (Mark Wolbers) PLUS Plus & Other Orchard Trees (Dan Moore & Fred Dieser)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Curing Meat at Home: Science & Tradition (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): Quail in Alaska - so many benefits! (Jenna Smith)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Tallow 101 ((repeat)) (Caity Alexander of Wanderflower Body Co.)
1-2 PM
ICE CREAM SOCIAL!
2:30 - 3:30 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Making the most of your AK acreage (while building a legacy for your family) (Wade Lyndaker)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): Feeding the Farm from the Farm (Shawn & Beth Dougherty)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Fermented Drinks (Austin Durant)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Curing Meat at Home: Tools for Success (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): All things Alaska Goats (Suzy Crosby)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Cheesemaking: Fromage Blanc & Cottage Cheese (Tandy Hogate)
4-5 PM
TURF 1 (Seats 450): Modern & Folk Medicine: Chemistry Validates Traditional Remedies (Darryl Patton)
TURF 3 (Seats 450): How to use what Alaska Provides for a Truly Self Sustaining Farm (Jeff Mattocks)
CLASSROOM (Seats 150): Starting a Business on your Homestead (Haylee Kurka)
TENT 1 (Seats 250): Curing Meat at Home: Smoking for Flavor & Preservation (Hand Hewn Farms)
TENT 2 (Seats 250): All things Alaska Goats (Suzy Crosby)
KITCHEN (Seats 40+): Cheesemaking: Mozzarella (Tandy Hogate)
SUNDAY APRIL 6
10 AM - Noon
LIVE Bluegrass Gospel Music & Message from Joel Salatin
Noon - 2 pm
Joel Salatin:
WEALTH WITHOUT MONEY
The number one deathbed confession is “I wish I’d had the courage to do what I really wanted to do.” What keeps us from doing what’s in our hearts, our dreams?
2-4 pm
SQUARE DANCING LESSONS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Learn to square dance as a family! The lessons are free and will end with a bit of time square dancing. This is such a fun way to end the weekend - learn a new skill as a family!
2-4 pm
Joel Salatin:
BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH FARM CLUSTERS AND THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
Perhaps the most detrimental ideas embraced by farmers is “I want to do it myself” and “I don’t want my life complicated with people.” The better approach is collaborative food clusters, selling regionally available food but sharing customers, distribution, and infrastructure.
**NOTE: There is no vendor hall on Sunday - Any purchases will need to be made on Friday or Saturday.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Large Animal Butchering:
Hand Hewn Farms is coming back up to teach folks how to process a pig from snout to tail including curing and preserving - but they are also going to talk about more than just processing a pig. They are also going to talk about processing wild game and livestock. This is a full two-day course. The cost is included with your ticket.
Over two days, Andy and Doug from Hand Hewn Farm will be demonstrating how they approach farm-based, large animal butchering, curing, and meat preparations with one whole hog. On Friday they will focus on the basics of large animal breakdown and anatomy along with the necessary tools to make the job easier for the beginner. On Saturday they will go into the finer points of butchering, packaging, and preservation including curing with salt and aging meat.
Kidsteaders Program
The kidsteaders program is going to be amazing! With separate stations, the kids will move throughout the upstairs track and learn their own homestead skills. The kidsteader classes are for ages 4-11 and they must have a ticket to get into the program.
When you register your kids for the kidsteader program, you can choose their classes. Class schedule is below.
Youth Program
The youth program is also going to be super amazing. When you register your youth, you can work together to choose their classes. Class options are also listed below.
Airsoft Pistol Range
Birchwood Recreational Shooting Park has graciously offered to run an Airsoft Pistol Range so you can enjoy fun and safe shooting as a family.
Sign up for this small class instruction after you have completed your registration inside. You must have a bracelet to get signed up but classes are limited.
The range class will be covering an introduction to airsoft pistols, safety, excellent marksmanship hints and tips, and perhaps some good old-fashioned family competition!
Suitable for ages 10 and above with family/adult supervision. Classes start at 10:30 am on Friday and Saturday, with nine classes over the weekend!
Head to the Birchwood Recreational Shooting Park Airsoft Pistol Range after you have checked in to the Expo to sign up!
WORKSHOP SPEAKERS
We Found The Best Local & National Speakers!
ice cream social
Saturday afternoon is our ice cream social featuring LOCAL ice cream from Big Dipper Ice Cream and a keynote local farmer Kelli Foreman
First, we will enjoy a keynote speech by Kelli Foreman titled "The Realities of Farming in Alaska: Stories That Will Make You Think" When Kelli is done speaking, it's ice cream time! You'll have about 45 minutes to enjoy your treat and mingle with your new friends.
*This event is part of your admission to the expo and is free for all paid attendees.
Kelli Foreman
The Last Small Farm
2024 FULL COURSE:
ANIMAL PROCESSING
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HAND HEWN FARM
Andy and Doug from Hand Hewn Farm will be here to spend two full days teaching us all aspects of butchering and preparing pork from nose to tail including bacon, hams, charcuterie, and even how to use lesser known portions like head meat, cheeks, and more!
PLUS - they are going to also share tips for butchering wild game and other livestock. This comprehensive two-say class is included with the price of your admission. -
THE HUMANE ANIMAL SLAUGHTER
To go along with the course being offered by Andy & Doug, local mobile slaughter business owner Graham Oakes is going to show how to slaughter your animal quickly and humanely.
Each year we will have a featured skill that we dig deep and offer full comprehensive courses. This year our featured skill is animal processing specific to pigs and chickens. Thank you to Hand Hewn Farms and Polaris Poultry for taking the time to teach us this valuable craft that we can all use on our homesteads.
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THE HUMANE SLAUGHTER
Graham Oakes, local mobile slaughter truck owner, is going to go through the steps of the humane slaughter. Here's the truth - no one looks forward to this part of farm life, right? But if we take time to learn the proper techniques, we can make it quick and humane for the animal.
2025 FULL SCHEDULE COMING SOON!
Kidsteader and Youth Class Schedule & Descriptions Coming Soon!
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Attend as many workshops as you want and attend as many days as you’d like. Each ticket is for the full event so you can attend every day if you’d like to!
Ticket prices do not include vendor booth items or food from the food trucks.
Convenient Location
Menard Sports Center
Wasilla, AK
1001 S Clapp St
Wasilla, AK 99654
Vendors
We will have vendors for products and services that emphasize community building, sustainable living, and living the homestead lifestyle.
There will also be food trucks and coffee stands with food and drink for purchase so plan to stay all day!
Come visit our amazing vendors at the second annual Alaska Homestead Expo!
If you are interested in a vendor booth apply here!
Sustainable Alaska Magazine
A magazine about living close to the land in the final frontier.
Lady Homesteaders of Alaska
A community empowering Alaskan women to grow, thrive, & build together.
Knik River Veterinary Clinic
Alaska Grown Dr. Sabrita Holland has been providing emergency and routine care for the horses and livestock of south cental Alaska for 28 years.
Faith & Flour
Faith & Flour is a locally owned business that started in 2024. We focus on making custom baked confections using higher quality ingredients while delivering products that not only look good but taste good as we strive to connect with the community and provide a fresh resource with great customer service.
Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers
The Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association shares in and benefits from the personal experience of successful fruit growing in Alaska and seeks to educate any person(s) interested in fruit growing.
Wanderflower Body Co
Nontoxic solutions for your body and home featuring Alaska tallow, wild plants & organic ingredients!
Wild Moose LLC
Handmade soaps, lotions, & candles
Viking Iron Works
Wild Moose
Common Ground Alaska Farm
Freeze Dried Alaska
Wholy Living
NOTE: We are adding vendors regularly so keep checking back to see if your favorite homesteading business will be there!
If you know someone who owns a business that would be a great fit, please be sure to share this with them!
What are you waiting for?
Space is Limited!
Tickets are currently only $99 for the entire weekend!
Time is running out to reserve your spot for the expo!
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