Common Ground Alaska

Fur Sewing - Sew a Beaver Hat (Lady Homesteaders)
2026-02-07 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Anchorage) | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Learn the art of fur sewing in this hands-on Beaver Hat workshop for Lady Homesteaders.
For $100, you’ll make and take home a beaver hat.
In-person classes at 10:00 am:• Saturday, February 7

Growing Mushrooms Webinar with Chris Outdoors (Free to All)
2026-02-09 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom Call
Join us for a free webinar on Growing Mushrooms with Chris Outdoors on February 9 at 6:00 pm. Learn practical tips for getting started and growing mushrooms successfully, no matter your experience level. Open to everyone!
Click here to register for free webinar!
Click here to purchase the paid FULL mushroom growing course!

Learning Zoom - Topic TBD (Lady Homesteaders)
2026-02-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Call
A Learning Zoom for Lady Homesteaders featuring Tandy Hogate. Join us online at 7:00pm for an educational conversation and community connection. Topic TBD.

Tortillas, Refried Beans, and Candle Making (Lady Homesteaders)
2026-02-20 17:00 - 19:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Tortillas, Refried Beans & Candle Making (Lady Homesteaders)In Person | February 20 | 5:00 pm
Learn how to make homemade tortillas and refried beans, then try your hand at candle making during this fun, in-person workshop. (Registration Required)

TALLOW SOAP-MAKING CLASS
2026-02-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Soapmaking on the Farm – Make & Take Tallow Bar Soap Class
Join Common Ground Alaska and Andrea Briggs of Wild Moose Company on the farm at 6189 S Carat on Saturday, February 28 for a hands-on, make-and-take soapmaking class!
In this class, you won’t just watch — you’ll make your own batch of hearty, ultra-cleansing and deeply moisturizing tallow bar soap and take it home with you. We’ll walk step-by-step through the entire process so you feel confident doing it again in your own kitchen.
Tallow soap is a traditional, nourishing option that’s gentle enough for the whole family and one of the most cost-effective ways to create a more natural, chemical-free home.
Class Times:🕙 10:00 AM 🕐 1:00 PM
REGISTER HERE!
What to Bring:• An immersion blender (if you have one)
Everything else is provided.
Come learn a practical, old-fashioned skill in a relaxed farm setting — and leave with beautiful, handmade soap you crafted yourself. Spaces are limited, so grab your spot early!
REGISTER HERE!

SIMPLY SOURDOUGH CLASS
2026-03-07 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Simply Sourdough – Back to the Basics
Learn sourdough the simple way.
This is a hands-on, beginner-friendly class where we break sourdough down into an easy, manageable process you can confidently repeat at home. No overwhelm — just clear steps from start to finish.
During class, you’ll:
• Learn the full sourdough process
• Mix and prepare your own loaf to take home
• Take home an active sourdough starter
• Take home a starter, some good flour, and the confidence to keep making your own sourdough
Whether you’ve felt intimidated by sourdough or just want a more simplified approach, this class is designed to help you succeed.
Dates:
Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 AM
Friday, March 13 at 10:00 AM
Cost: $50
Location: 6189 S Carat, Big Lake
REGISTER HERE
Spots are limited to keep the class personal and hands-on. Reserve your seat and come learn how simple sourdough can truly be.

SOURDOUGH WITH FRESH MILLED FLOUR AND ANCIENT GRAINS CLASS
2026-03-07 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Sourdough with Fresh Milled Flour & Ancient Grains
Ready to take your sourdough to the next level?
In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to successfully bake sourdough using fresh milled flour and ancient grains. We’ll walk through the entire process from start to finish, focusing on how to work with freshly ground flour, adjust hydration, and create beautiful, flavorful loaves with wholesome grains.
This is a true make-and-take experience — you’ll prepare your own bread to take home, plus leave with:
• An active sourdough starter• A selection of grains to experiment with• Practical tips for baking with fresh milled flour• The confidence to continue baking at home
Whether you’re brand new to fresh milling or looking to refine your technique, this class will give you the tools you need to succeed.
Dates:Saturday, March 7 at 1:00 PMFriday, March 13 at 1:00 PM
REGISTER HERE
Cost: $60Location: 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake
Spots are limited to keep it personal and hands-on. Join us and discover how nourishing and simple sourdough with fresh milled flour can be.

MILK CULTURING CLASS
2026-03-20 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Milk Culturing – Cheese & Fermented Dairy Basics
Have you ever wondered how to make fresh mozzarella from scratch? Or been curious about milk kefir, its benefits, and how to actually use it in your kitchen? This is the class for you.
In this very hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to make cheese and cultured milk products from start to finish. We’ll walk step-by-step through traditional methods so you leave confident and ready to recreate them at home.
During class, we will:
• Make and enjoy fresh mozzarella
• Learn how to make and maintain milk kefir
• Prepare quark (also known as fromage blanc)
• Learn to make truly cultured buttermilk
• Make real cultured sour cream
You’ll head home with:
• Milk kefir grains
• Fresh quark (fromage blanc)
• The knowledge and confidence to continue culturing at home
Dates:
Friday, March 20 at 2:00 PM
Saturday, March 21 at 10:00 AM
Cost: $85
REGISTER HERE
Location: 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, United States, 99652
Spots are limited to keep the experience personal and hands-on. Come learn timeless skills that bring nourishing, homemade dairy back to your table.

Learning to Grow Mushrooms with Far North Fungi
2026-03-28 10:00 - 13:00 | AK
Join Common Ground Alaska and Far North Fungi for a fun morning learning all about growing mushrooms both indoors and outdoors – and then plant some to take home!
Saturday, March 28th, 2026
10:00a & 1:00p
Register here! https://www.tixtree.com/e/hands-on-mushroom-growing-7ee77ed5b377
Come join Allison Dunbar and Gabriel DeGange of Far North Fungi for a hands-on mushroom growing class! Far North Fungi has been growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms commercially in Alaska since 2017. The lecture portion of the class will cover fungal ecology, how this translates to agriculture, and where the future of farming fungi is headed. After the lecture portion, participants will enter the mushroom lab, and create a mushroom kit to take home; and receive care instructions so that they can be harvesting fresh mushrooms at home in as little as 3 weeks.
Click here to purchase your ticket!

DEMYSTIFYING DETOX AND GUT HEALTH with Emily Foster, Alaska Wellness Woman
2026-03-31 18:00 - 19:00 | Susitna Brewing Cafe Room, 5120 S Big Lake Rd., Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
In this class, Emily Foster from Alaska Wellness Woman will guide us through the basics of functional digestive anatomy, and how it plays a role in parasite protocols and healthy detoxification.
We’ll finish with a Q&A—so come ready with your questions!
And it’s all FREE!
There will be prizes, samples, and we’re even going to give away some expo tickets!
Be sure to sign up to save your spot. See you there!
Plan to come early and grab dinner at Susitna Brewing before class – their burgers and pizza are our family’s favorite! And if you’re feeling fancy, their steak is pure perfection!
Get tickets here!

FRUIT TREE PRUNING & SPRING ORCHARD MAINTENANCE
2026-04-04 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
In this awesome, interactive class, you’re going to learn all about spring orchard maintenance including how to look for winter damage and what to do about it.
Then, you’ll have a lesson on pruning that will help you with your home orchard to achieve maximum production and disease resistance.
You will be asked to determine how you would prune a tree and then have the opportunity to do the pruning yourself.
This is to help you build confidence in your own orchard.
This is NOT a classroom lecture class. You need to bring your snowshoes and dress warm because you’re going to get to work hands-on in the orchard with Gene.
Get tickets here!

PORK & PANTRY with Tandy Hogate
2026-04-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Susitna Brewing Cafe Room, 5120 S Big Lake Rd., Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
Learn to make homemade sausage from ground pork and how to make homemade bacon, too!
Once you’ve tried them, you won’t go back! It’s more economical, it’s healthier, and the flavor simply can’t be beat.
After you know all about making sausage and bacon, we’ll talk in-depth about filling your pantry with good, Alaska products. I’ll give ideas, recommendations, and even some recipes! Plus, we’ll talk about how to do all this on a budget.
And it’s all FREE!
There will be prizes, samples, and we’re even going to give away some expo tickets!
Be sure to sign up to save your spot. See you there!
Plan to come early and grab dinner at Susitna Brewing before class – their burgers and pizza are our family’s favorite! And if you’re feeling fancy, their steak is pure perfection!
Get tickets here!

MILK CULTURING AND CHEESEMAKING with Tandy Hogate
2026-04-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Susitna Brewing Cafe Room, 5120 S Big Lake Rd., Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
If you’ve ever wondered how to make your own cultured milk products and cheese (and why you would even want to), be sure to grab a spot in this FREE class! This is my very favorite class to teach because it’s really very simple!
After the demonstration, we’ll follow up with a Q&A time to hopefully answer all of your cheesemaking questions!
And it’s all FREE!
There will be prizes, samples, and we’re even going to give away some expo tickets!
Be sure to sign up to save your spot. See you there!
Plan to come early and grab dinner at Susitna Brewing before class – their burgers and pizza are our family’s favorite! And if you’re feeling fancy, their steak is pure perfection!
Get tickets here!

SPRING OPEN HOUSE & PLANT PICKUP WEEKEND!
2026-05-08 10:00 - 2026-05-10 17:00 | Common Ground Alaska Farmstead, 6189 S. Carat, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
It’s our favorite time of year, when all of the planning we did over the winter is finally just about ready to be put into fruition!
If you pre-ordered plants from us for spring pickup – you can pick them up at this event. If you need orchard plants, hanging baskets, perennial veggies, or if you just want to come tour the farm – we’d love to have you! We will have lots to see and do!
Friday May 8th
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday May 9th
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday May 10th
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

2026 SPRING ALASKA HOMESTEAD EXPO
2026-05-22 00:00 - 2026-05-25 23:59 | Big Lake Lions Club, 2942 S Lions Ct, Big Lake, AK, 99652, United States
2026 SPRING ALASKA HOMESTEAD EXPO

THE 3rd ANNUAL ALASKA HOMESTEAD EXPO & MARKETPLACE
Mark your calendars and grab your tickets early for the best pricing!

We’re doing Memorial Weekend up BIG at the 2026 Alaska Homestead Expo & Marketplace by expanding the Expo to FOUR full days! There’s something for everyone from shopping to classes, demonstrations, plenty of social time, and connecting with likeminded Alaskans.

Find the schedule of events & ticket details here: https://commongroundalaska.com/alaska-homestead-expo/
