Rebarchek Farm-Restoring the Past for the future

There are times when a writer must find a story, and then there are times when a story finds the writer, even when the writer is simply trying to learn about growing giant cabbages.

Last week, a class was offered at the Rebarchek Farm, within the Alaska State Fairgrounds, in which 20 families would learn about growing those gigantic cabbages that Alaska is known for. Hosted by Dr. Stephen Brown from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the class covered when to best plant, how to build a frame and ensure the cabbage could be watered, and other questions and tidbits regarding growing vegetables. At the end of the class, each family was gifted 2 O/S cabbage starts and wished the best of luck at this year’s Alaska State Fair.

But what was of real interest to many besides the cabbage secrets was the agricultural farm that is carefully being restored. Bill Allen, the Project Manager of the Rebarchek Farm, spoke about the restoration project.

“The primary purpose now is for the kids to learn about agriculture, food security, it’s woefully needed in Alaska, and also provide unique education and historical opportunities.” says Allen.

According to the website, www.alaskastatefair.org, Rebarchek Farm was developed by original colony farmer Ray Rebarchek as one of the first colonist farms in the Mat-Su Valley. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt drafted the “New Deal,” a sweeping series of programs and projects that aimed to restore success to Americans, stabilize the economy, and provide jobs and relief to those suffering.

The Matanuska Colony was one of the “resettlement communities” created from Roosevelt’s New Deal, when 203 families were chosen from Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin to relocate to Alaska to develop an agriculture community.

Among those chosen was Ray Rebarchek and his young family, who made the journey from Minnesota to Palmer, the place they would call home. After drawing their 40-acre plot, Rebarchek would later purchase 2 neighboring plots.

Not long after, Rebarchek had a log farmhouse-the first house built in the Colony. A barn, chicken coop, sauna, outhouse, and other outbuildings soon completed the homestead.

Among the crops grown over the years at the farm were cabbage, lettuce, rhubarb, potatoes, peas, strawberries, raspberries, oats, and barley. The Rebarchek farm also operated as a Dairy from 1945-1970.

Fast forward to 2022, the Alaska State Fair now owns the remaining Rebarchek property and is working to rehabilitate the farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. According to their Business Plan, the goal is to creating a living history farm, bring greater understanding of Alaska’s agriculture, and highlight the rich tradition of Alaskan farming.

Work is now being done to restore the farmhouse that, like many weathered buildings, has suffered structural deficiencies over the years, but is being lovingly restored. The interior has been restored to allow visitors to explore authentic items that would have been found in farmhouses from the 1930’s. The original barn also being repaired through careful rehabilitation of its’ existing historic structures with enhancement.

Meanwhile other parcels of the property have been marked for a chicken coop, a fruit orchard grotto, a designated area for Future Farmers of America and 4-H, an education center and small animal raising, restoration of original farm equipment for displays. There will also be areas for classes, demonstrations, meetings, and other social gatherings, along with informational kiosks throughout and expansion of the agricultural events and displays.

Giving an impromptu tour of the restored farmhouse, Allen talked further about the need for agricultural education:

“The farmers that have settled here over the years are now retiring or passing away, and the kids don’t want to be farmers, so the land becomes residential subdivisions. We’ve got to get the message across that unless we train the young folks in agriculture and management, we aren’t going to be able to increase our food supply.”

Rebarchek Farm now hopes to share the story of Alaskan agriculture, creating an interest in farming, and work with the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center to remove barriers to modern agriculture by making land, equipment, and local knowledge available to youth and interested farmers on incubator acreage. All part of the mission to restore the past for future generations.

For more information about the work being done at the Rebarchek Farm, visit www.alaskastatefair.org/site/rebarchek-ag-park