Looking for things to do in Homer, Alaska?
Come Adventure with us at the Dean Family Farm and Art StudiosÂ
for a heartfelt, handmade, and one of a kind experience…
A treat for your creativity, serenity, and soul
Thank you Ranja and Jeff for an amazingly inspiring visit to your home, for sharing the beauty, the wit, the creativity and the loving soul of your life’s work and art, so far! We came away enriched! To everyone out there thinking of asking for a tour – make sure to get a visit in before everyone else hears about this hidden gem and you will have to stand in line to get to experience it. / Kindest regards Pernille and Niklas, Sweden
Ps. Looking forward to reading your book of magical encounters, when you’ve written it Ranja.
Rain or Shine, it’s looking pretty beautiful around here.
Our 2019 summer season runs from May 23 – September 30
Join Alaskan artists, Ranja and Jeff Dean for this unique, guided tour.Â
You’ll be immersed in our creative Alaskan lifestyle as you meander through a menagerie of art and animals, gardens and architecture; from patchwork quilts to timber frame barns, towering beach logs and arched roofed structures, innovative tools, farmstead gadgets and both fine and functional artwork.
Learn about life in Alaska, fitting with the climate, and following the seasons, about animal and plant breeds that thrive in the North, creative building, flower foods, wild foods, herbs, and herb drying.
You’ll visit working art studios and see art in the making.
The educational tour lasts around 2-1/2 hours, ending with a visit to The Dean Gallery and then into our home, for refreshments, homestead stories and a look at the apple tree dollhouse.
It’s a glimpse into the lives of an Alaskan family as we share a lifetime of inspiration, dedication, and diverse creative output.Â
Our hope is to bring magic to your day and inspire and encourage you in your own originality.
Stepping inside their home I found delightful surprises around every corner – from homemade benches and quilts to a dollhouse, rounded countertops and beautifully worked doors and windows. Everything on the homestead is a testament to the imagination, creativity, and skill of the Deans.
And then there is the wonderful menagerie of unique animals that they have there – a yow, shaggy donkeys, goats, a grazing pig, etc. Every time I visit their homestead I come away inspired and with a silly grin on my face, thrilled to know a couple like Jeff and Ranja who have truly mastered the art of living and artful living.
As a local guide, I was excited to bring some of my guests out to the Dean homestead. They were as taken with the place as I was, and one guest told me afterward that her experience there had been ‘life-changing.’ I will certainly try to include a visit to the Deans with friends, family, and guests coming to Homer in the future!
Here are a few of the things you’ll see and learn about.
- Our well-equipped timber frame studio with its arched doorway and hammer-beam roof frame
- Magical barns and animal houses
- Beautifully landscaped herb, rock, and vegetable gardens
- A large variety of Alaska hardy fruit trees and berry bushes
- Unique and limited edition sculptures and artwork in bronze, wood and other materials
- Original, Heat tinted, engraved steel wall art
- Carved wood panels and Ink miniatures
- An enchanting apple tree doll house
- Beautiful, Ferro-cement rabbit houses
- Rustic and unique animal breeds including:
- Shaggy Donkeys
- Wooly Milk Goats
- Chickens
- Yow (Yak/Cow-cross)
- A sporty handmade donkey cultivator
- Innovative solar thermal system with it’s custom software and controller
- The versatile Timber Jig timber framing tool
- Walk through garden tool shed, and more…
The Dean Gallery
The gallery walls and display units are built with reclaimed redwood from a tank Jeff dismantled in Haines, Alaska. Click Here to see details of how they were made.
Well worth the money! Every inch of this tour is an artistic adventure sure to stimulate your senses and inspire you. If you have any interest in art, architecture, alternative energy or anything DIY you are in for a big treat. The artistic attention to detail is extraordinary.Â
Days later, I still find myself thinking of more questions I wished I asked Ranja and thinking of Bergie, the donkey that captured my heart.Â
Words can’t really describe this tour, you’ll have to experience it yourself.
These are a few details to keep in mind:
- We’re located in Homer, Alaska on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula. About 10 minutes from downtown, and 15 minutes from the airport. It’s an easy drive to find us. We don’t provide transportation but suggest you contact one of the local cab companies if you need to. Make sure they know to pick you up 2.5 hours after the start of the tour.
- Tours are by reservation only.
- Please book your tours online. For same day booking, we require a 2-hour minimum before the tour time.
- We work hard to provide a quality experience, so please plan on spending at least two and a half hours with us. The walk distance itself is not long, but you’ll be outside much of the time. After the walk, we’ll visit the gallery and our home where we’ll gather for refreshments.
- Your group may not be the only guests; we take up to twelve guests per tour.
- Wear season/weather appropriate clothing. The weather here in Homer can change fairly quickly so be sure to come prepared.
- If you arrive early, you may have to wait in your car while we finish preparing for your tour.
- Our tours are by reservation only. This is our home; please respect that.
Prices are $65 per adult, $35 per child 3-12, under 3 free, prices can change seasonally. For safety purposes all children must be supervised by an adult at all times, children under 3 must be in a backpack carrier. Each tour has a two person or $130 minimum.
For more information call or text 907-299-5175 or 907-299-4124
