Best Farms of the Matanuska Valley

Best Working Farms of the Matanuska Valley

WILD ANIMALS: Musk Ox & Reindeer

Right here in amazing Palmer, we have the Musk Ox Farm and the Reindeer Farm. Both are a must-see! Our home is within 10 minutes of either and both are well worth the time. Each is an inexpensive way to experience some unforgettable Alaskan 'real-life'.

CROPS: Matanuska Giant Vegetables

Our Matanuska Valley is known world-wide for being the place to grow 100 pound head of cabbage or footlong greenbeans. We have some amazing working produce farms right here and most everyone has a garden. Palmer city has several "Edible Landscape" gardens open for the community to gleen vegetables for free. Among the best to visit are: Pyrah's Pioneer Peak U-Pick Farm, Full Circle Farms, VanderWeele Farm, Arctic Organics and Rempel Family Organics. The Remple Family Farm is in the Bodenburg Butte area. This farm raises over 100 different certified organic vegetables on 135 acres. There is so much intriguing history wrapped up in our farms there are tours just to visit them!

Take a scenic drive along Farm Loop Rd to see more remaining colony farms.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS: Dairy Cattle, goats, sheep

Built during the Palmer Colony days in 1935, Havemeister Dairy Farm is the only remaining working dairy farm. Touring the milking parlor, barn and gradens is a fun and educational experience for both children and adults.

Challenges in all the local farming are many: frost, disease, weather, pests, moose and limited growing season. Cottonwood Creek Farm is a dairy goat farm where goat milk can be purchased and baby goats are always available.

There are many small sheep herds here in the heart of the Matanuska Valley, including MINE here at Alaska's Harvest B&B, where I raise Shetland Sheep for their awesome personalities and great fleece. Be sure to walk down Barn Road to my pasture and pet the sheep as they come running to the fence to be friendly!

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Testimonials

PERFECT! This was absolutely wonderful. The drive up from the South had been stressful due to a fatal accident and freeway closure. The tension melted away almost immediately...

Michael Olesen - WI

We had a great trip and stay at your place. When visiting anywhere within 200 miles of Anchorage, we wouldnt think of staying anywhere else!

Derek Harbula, NY

This has been the greatest relaxation and spoiling since I returned from Afghanistan. Thank you so much for sharing "your" Alaska with us. The house has such attention to detail and care for...

Larry and Michele Adams-Thompson, Wahiawa, HI

Thank you! We are so grateful for this stay! It's our last night in Alaska after the longest trip ever and we did save 'the best for last'! The view, the sheep, the rooms, a pool table and all the...

Star and Steve, Manchester, NH

From the first second you walk into Alaska's Harvest B&B you feel like your right at home. The attention to detail is obvious and its authentic, like your host Joe and Collette. From my first...

Rick C. - Palmer

Your bed and breakfast is so wonderful! I am going to tell our travel agent to direct all her business your way.

Leon and Dorothy, IN

What a wonderful and beautiful place to spend our 40th anniversary vacation! It made us feel just like home! Thank you for your thoughtfulness of adding all the extras. We will certainly recommend...

Daryl and Dorothy Blythe, Williamsburg, Iowa

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful home with us. My father and I have traveled through much of the world and your B&B is the BEST we've ever seen. We will surely be back and will...

Daniel & Jeff Stewart - Saskatchewan & Florida

Beautiful home and breathtaking view. I really enjoyed my stay here. This is by far the most beautiful B&B I've stayed in! I love all of the extra touches you've added to the rooms. I feels...

Robin, LA, CA

You really have outdone yourselves. This place is absolutely breath taking! The view is so beautiful and the warm atmosphere makes you feel right at home. It is hard to say goodbye to such a...

Hack and Jodie Kent, AK

Absolutely wonderful! Thanks for all the warm hospitality, warm bed and delicious food. After a great day of glacier hiking and ice climbing it was wonderful to fall into a warm room for the night...

Conya Gilmore, Washington, DC

We have been to many B&Bs and this is the most beautiful and welcoming place we have ever stayed! We travel a great deal and we will be back!

The Staples, FL

This place has been quite the refuge for our health related hassles. I can't imagine anyone's hospitality exceeding that of my hosts. We have been made to feel completely at home at every turn. We...

Richard Eder - Hurst, TX

Alaska’s Harvest will always be remembered as one of the high points in our trip to Alaska! A beautiful place to relax and remember why we love to travel...

Garry V. Kear - Tennessee

My husband surprised me with this incredible night of "escape". Thank you for the beauty and serenity of your Christian home. God bless you.

Richard and Linda

The Hands have made their home into a place where travelers feel like they have come home. Their bed and breakfast accommodations are exceedingly comfortable. A charming Alaskan wilderness décor...

Martha Buckingham

What a piece of heaven! We couldn't have asked for a nicer way to spend our honeymoon. We were awestruck at the beauty. Thanks for going out of your way to make our stay very enjoyable. We will...

Leslie & Ed O'Donnell

After a few bad experiences with Bed & Breakfast places up north, we were very fearful as to what we would find here... but we then pull up our car to the B&B Taj Majal! The food was...

Linda, Tim & Betty - Columbus, OH

In the summer of 2003 I spent three wonderful weeks of vacation at the Alaska's Harvest Bed & Breakfast. Coming over from Germany I found a really unique treasure. The house with its charming...

Gaby, Germany

We were here last week in a different room. Last night we had reservations at a different B&B in Seward. BUT we all wanted to come back here so badly that we even paid a cancellation fee to...

The Chopa's

Your home is absolutely a "bit of heaven", a sanctuary of quiet retreat. I have taken a zillion pictures even through the windows. I will send you some. The soothing Christian music as we entered...

Ed & Kathy Osborne - Salem, OR

We can't tell you how much we enjoyed staying in your wonderful home and great suite! This is by far one of the best and most beautiful places we have seen. We never will forget it.

Rita and Klaus Felser, Germany

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Photo Album

It's important to us that you realize this isn't just a business, it's our home! We like getting to meet our guests. I hope you are interested in taking a glimpse at who we are! Just imagine this page as a really big wallet full of photos that I am eager to share with you! Here are just a few pictures, but click the "view all" link above to see many more!