Mat-Su Valley Blog

With the end of summer comes a new season - aurora watching. The season has gotten off to an early start, as aurora were spotted in late August and periodically through September already. The northern lights are a natural phenomenon that have to be seen to truly be appreciated. When the darker...

The Mat-Su Valley has always been known as the agricultural hub of Alaska, with giant cabbages, potatoes and carrots being some of the best known products. In the last few years, however, peony farming has become a major part of the growing scene, with their giant, blooming flowers appearing on...

Christmas is still 10 days away, but it seems that all must be under control for Santa. He was recently spotted in the Mat-Su Valley taking a break by fat tire biking and kayaking, two of his favorite activities. The jolly old man got in contact with Dan McDonough of Lifetime Adventures last week -...

Ask any Alaskan where they were at 8:29 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, and they can tell you - that's when the ground started shaking and it seemingly wouldn't end, as a 7.0 earthquake centered near Point MacKenzie in the Mat-Su Borough unleashed fury. I was sitting at my desk in Palmer. I've lived in...

Ask any Alaskan, and they know June 21 is the summer solstice - with 22 hours of functional daylight in Southcentral Alaska, and total darkness not achieved for days. In Talkeetna, for example, the official sunrise is at 4:05 a.m. and the official sunset is exactly at midnight. During those four...

Two of the most unique events in Alaska kick off Saturday in Talkeetna, as the world famous Wilderness Woman Competition and the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction bring plenty of laughs, good times and fun. The Talkeetna Bachelor Society hosts the events each year. They start it off with the Wilderness...

The Mat-Su Valley's newest "residents" may just be the cutest yet - so far, 14 new calves have been born at the Williams Reindeer Farm in Palmer, which is gearing up to open to the public in a few weeks. The Williams Reindeer Farm has welcomed 14 calves to the farm so far this spring, with more...

Looking for a last-minute gift idea? This year, think about giving someone an "experience" they'll never forget. Memories made will last a lifetime, and you're gift will be remembered as one of the best. There are tons of amazing experiences in the Mat-Su Valley that would make a great gift this...

Even though temperatures are hovering in the upper 70s, you can still have a dog mushing experience during your visit to the Mat-Su Valley. From visiting with Iditarod champions to petting newborn huskies, Iditarod and dog mushing is a year-round event in Alaska. The Iditarod Trail Headquarters is...

Birch syrup is used in a variety of Alaska products, including jams and jellies, craft beer, candies and baked goods.  Alaska has long been known for its Gold Rush era history, but little know about a different type of gold that shows up every spring - birch syrup....