Annual Agriculture Day brings the farm to Birchtree Charter School

PALMER — Students at Birchtree Charter School got a firsthand look at local agriculture in action on Tuesday, mingling outside the school with farmers and farm animals. This was a celebration of Agriculture Day and part of the school’s participation in Alaska Farm to School, a state run program

“This was a great hit… the animals were a hit” Market Access and Food Safety Manager for the Alaska Division of Agriculture Johanna Herron said.

Agriculture Day is a statewide recognition and educational effort meant to promote local agriculture across Alaska.

Herron said they’ve been working with schools in the Alaska Farm to School program for years but this is the first time they’ve brought live animals. She said the focus is always to connect with the kids.

“They’re really the focus I think for Ag, just because it’s the next generation of leaders, farmers and consumers,” Herron said.

Herron said that Agriculture Day is a designated but in her field, it’s a whole week. She said the Alaska Farm to School program started in 2010 and Agricultural Day goes back further. She said it’s her division’s mission to ensure access to Alaskan grown products, farmers having access to market and every business and organization does a role in that process.

“Because we all play a role,” Herron said.

She said it’s engrained in the Valley’s culture. She said that it’s that spirit of innovation, conquering the harsh climate to make life livable for future generations.

“I think it’s a part of our identity out here,” Herron said.

She said that spirit is still alive today and is “contagious” and people love it.

“Definitely here in the Valley though, it’s on every corner,” Herron said.

Kari Kompkoff, owner of Lil k Riding & Equine Education brought a bundle of farm animals to the school: horses, ponies, sheep, and a calf. Based in Palmer, her outfit offers lessons, summer camps, birthday parties and other events. She said that she was happy to help promote agriculture right here in the Valley.

“Days like this it’s awesome to let people know where their food comes from, these animals that are producing a lot of food that people consume. A lot of people aren’t connected with animals anymore,” Kompkoff said.

A majority of their rescue horses are rescues including a big, gray and white horse that’s been rehabilitated, some abandoned, some mistreated. She said that she sees a lot of neglect. She said the big horse was rescued with deplorable health but has since made a full recovery, healthy and happily eating hay and getting pets.

“He eats like a monster,” Kompkoff said.

Kompkoff was raised with horses. She said they’ve always been a part of her life.

“These animals have done so much for me,” Kompkoff said.

Kompkoff grew up in the Valley and she’s familiar with its colonial roots. She said that she’s always wanted to teach, especially kids to help encourage the next generation of to keep the Valley’s tradition of agriculture alive.

“I think Alaska was a crazy place to thought of ever homesteading for any kind of farm because we do have such a crazy climate but I definitely think that everything that they went through, all the work they put in to starting the Valley paid off,” Kompkoff said.

She said that her roots are settled in the Valley and never wants to leave. She thinks holding onto the Valley agricultural roots are all the more prevalent as the general public becomes more homebound and sedentary. She said that events like these help raise awareness.

“We’re more sheltered from having to live lives where we produce our own food. We can go to the supermarket and buy anything we want,” Kompkoff said.

She said that as a community, people in the Valley can support local agriculture by supporting the small businesses, buying home grown food and products and spreading the word for others to do the same.

She’s looking to be a vendor in the district for school field trips and other educational events. She currently offers educational tours of the farm, sharing her love for animals and her own slice of local agricultural knowledge.

“I always say I love ‘firsts’ which is when kids first get pet a horse or be on a horse or milk a cow, anything like that. You can just kind of see this look light up their face. They just get so happy. Having the opportunity to do thing amazing,” Kompkoff said.

For more information about of Lil k Riding & Equine Education, call: 907-830-7102 or visit their website at: www.lilkridingandequineeducation.com

To learn more about the Alaska Farm to School program, visit: www.farmtoschoolalaska.org

For more information about the Alaska Division of Agriculture, call: 907-745-7200 or visit the state’s website: dnr.alaska.gov/ag

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com