Big Cabbage Radio

Nelson Crone speaks with Mike Chmielewski to give the monthly update on the UAF Farm and more.

Nelson recently visited Kodiak Island. He described Kodiak’s success in extending its growing season by the use of wind tunnels and hydroponics. He also discussed the many events planned at Matanuska Experiment Farm this month. Check out the Farm Extension Webpage to learn more.

Mike Chmielewski flips the microphone on Ag Matters host Ken Hoffman to talk about the Mat-Su Farm Bureau and farming microgreens.

Ken Hoffman wears many hats. He started Mat-Su Microgreens in a spare bedroom in 2022. He now has three employees and a 30X30 barn filled with 50 varieties. Ken says he loves working the soil and getting his hands dirty. His new project is a market garden, concentrating on lettuces for spring mix, baby vegetables, and edible flowers. Ken is also the executive director of both the Alaska Farm Bureau and the Mat-Su Chapter. He reminds us that...

Dr Jill Valerius and Lee Henrikson begin a four-part discussion about sleep apnea.

Part One Nov.10, 2025:

Sleep Apnea is when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often with loud snoring and or gasping. Dr. Jill describes the three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and combination. Dr. Jill lists the common symptoms for adults and children. She  explains why it is so important to get enough and the correct kind of sleep.

Part Two Nov. 17, 2025:

Dr. Jill discusses diagnosing sleep apnea. 80% of people with moderate to severe sleep apnea are u...

Director of Finance for the City of Palmer, Gina Davis, joins Mike Chmielewski on Inside the City.

Gina describes her job as collecting the city’s revenue and then spending it.

Mike Chmielewski talks with author and long-time Alaskan Bailey Berg about her latest book. Secret Alaska features stories of ghost towns, unique festivals, and the history of the state’s eccentric figures. Bailey explores the quirky, hidden, and unusual sides of Alaska. 

Two interviews in one this week, Ken Hoffman talks to both Max Lyons from the Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute & Valentina Romanovskaia of Northern Beauty Alaska.

The Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute is a community-based, non-profit organization based in Kodiak, Alaska. Their mission is to support the long-term sustainability of our region’s coastal communities of Alutiiq heritage. Join Ken in learning more about the institute and how they support agriculture in these communities.

Valentina Romanovskaia, owner of Northern Beauty Alaska, makes skin care products from authentic Alaskan ingredients. In creating her products, Valentina uses moose, goat, and...

Rachel Levitt and John Robertson discuss the new Coast Guard icebreakers and changes in federal homeless policies, play Public Policy Pursuit, and review the Constitution’s Oath Clause.

Peter House from Deep Tree discusses current cybersecurity threats with Mike Chmielewski.

Mike is traveling this holiday to Florida and asks Peter to look at threat actors in the news for Florida, Alaska, and the rest of the country. Peter’s big tip this week is to make sure that if you have Office 365, you turn on MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication). Listen and learn what else you should be aware of to keep your data safe.

Scott Blair from My Favorite Realty shares an update with Mike Chmielewski on the real estate market in the Mat-Su Valley.

Winter, especially around the holidays, is a slow time for buying and selling real estate. Buyers and renters want to be settled in the new place before having family and friends over for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Scott and Mike discuss when and why sellers might have to adjust or lower the price.

Emily Forstner talks with Mike Chmielewski about the Dec. 3, 2025 school board meeting.

The school board meeting opened with student recognitions, including National Merit scholars, music and band groups, athletes and teams, and College Board AP and SAT awards. Emily explains the budget process and the timetable for the FY27 Preliminary Budget. Public comments focused on three topics: the lack of nurses, student input into school district decision making, and the removal of the land acknowledgement from schools. The superintendent explained test scores and proposed a plan to increase students’ scores in the first year of middle and hig...

Rachel Levitt and John Robertson review federal actions that impact Alaska on Home to Roost.

This week, we discuss what a less capable federal workforce might mean for Alaska, the craziest statements to come from the White House recently, and the meaning of the Constitution’s Guarantee Clause.

Mike Chmielewski welcomes Ailis Vann, Parks and Facilities Manager for the City of Palmer.

Ailis explains to Mike that the Parks and Facilities manager is responsible for the MTA Events Center and for planning and implementing long-term projects. Parks and Facilities works closely with Public Works, Ailis says. “Those guys know things.”

Online booking is now available for the depot, pavilion, and ice rink. You can find it on the City of Palmer. The Parks and Recreation Board is looking for new members. The information is on the Parks and Rec web page.

Emily Forstner gives insight into the school board meeting on November 19th .

The board welcomed two returning members, Brooks Pitcher and Kendall Kruse, and one new member, Lori Colee. Discussion included the replacement of the land acknowledgment at schools. There were presentations from proposed charter schools.

David Cheezem, Herb Bischoff, and Judy Donegan discuss the book Enshittification. There was a question of whether the FCC would allow that word to be aired, so they were looking for substitutes. Enpoopification, Enscatification, and Ensitification were considered. The book’s subtitle is “Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It, which seemed appropriate, given the “names” being discussed.

Enshittification examines the internet and tech landscape, where platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Google start great but, over time, squeeze profits at the cost of user experience. Herb and Judy both agreed that if they had a hig...

Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper joins Mike Chmielewski in the studio to talk about his first month in office.

Mike asks Mayor Cooper what he sees as the change from being a council member and being mayor. Mayor Cooper joked that it is easier to schedule meetings as the mayor. He went on to explain that the mayor had more opportunities to bring ideas to the city and move items forward than a council member does. Mayor Cooper and Mike discussed what the end of the year brings and what we can look forward to in 2026.

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Emily Forstner talks with Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani.

Emily and Dr. Trani discuss several issues, including enrollment, chronic absenteeism, busing, and school funding. Dr. Trani addresses also the controversial removal of the 2021 land acknowledgement from buildings and school events. 

Peter House from Deep Tree talks with Mike Chmielewski about current cybersecurity threats and how they affect us here in Alaska. Today’s topic was router vulnerability. Routers have become a target for malicious actors and many older routers cannot be updated and are vulnerable.

Credential theft is on the rise: they are using the puzzles that you fill out to prove you’re human when visiting a website. Be aware: if a you are asked to paste anything using the “R” key. This is the “run” shortcut and it can give remote control access to your computer. Duration: 00:00:00

Mike Chmielewski talks with Meggy Abe from the Palmer Arts Council.

Meggy explained the goal of the Palmer Arts Council’s goal – to bring more art opportunities to Palmer. They do this through education, workshops, performances, and literary events. The Arts Council is excited to host Parlor in the Round, Friday, November 23rd at 7:00 p.m. Parlor in the Round has been described as a songwriter’s game show. The audience actually helps by writing down song suggestions.

For more information or to learn about other upcoming events, visit the Palmer Arts Council website.

Palmer Food Bank Executive Director Jennifer Brandt talks with Mike Chmielewski.

The Palmer Food Bank opened in 1991 with the full name Palmer Emergency Food and Community Services. 25% of its food comes from the USDA; the other 75% is from community donations. Executive Director Jennifer Brandt started in September and is seeing significant growth of the food bank. Palmer Food Bank is moving to a new building at the corner of S. Denali Street and East Arctic Avenue. At 5,300 square feet, it is three times bigger than the current site. There will be a cookbook corner and other new f...

Mike Chmielewski and Mayor Jim Cooper discusses the November 18 Palmer City Council meeting. Penny Mosher was sworn in as a council member. Mayor Cooper is impressed with the council members and believes they will accomplish wonderful things together. Palmer City Manager Kolby Zerkel explained the issues surrounding the airport, golf course, and the FAA in her report. During audience participation many citizens spoke passsionately about the golf course. Mayor Cooper said that in the future, there will be more open and transparent information about the airport, golf course, and the FAA.