Guidestone

Farmer and Rancher Tax Resource

2012-01-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has introduced a new website - Rural Tax Education - that provides farmers and ranchers, other agricultural producers and Extension educators with a source for agriculturally related income and self-employment tax information.

Tax issues are important for agricultural operations because income and self-employment taxes are a major cost, and also because more and more USDA programs are being linked to a producer’s federal income tax return.

Also on the website is a Tax Guide For Owners and Operators of Small and Medium Size Farms, produced by Land Grant University Tax Education Foundation, INC. through a grant from the USDA Risk Management Agency.

Check out their website at http://www.ruraltax.org/for a FREE resource.

A Free Webinar: Why Eat Organic

2012-01-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

Join eOrganic for Why Eat Organic by Jim Riddle, University of Minnesota. This is a live broadcast from the 2012 Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism, and Organic Conference. The broadcast is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required.

Date: Thursday, January 12, 2012

Time: 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM EST (10:45 Central, 9:45 Mountain, 8:45 Pacific Time)

About the Webinar

As research into organic food and farming expands, trends are beginning to emerge validating the multiple benefits of organic systems. In this session, the author will present concise, understandable summaries of recently conducted research regarding nutrition, pesticide residues, biodiversity, natural resource conservation, soil and water quality, and food safety related to organic production and handling.

To find out more about this conference, see http://www.specialtygrowers.org/iscaoc-conference.html

To view all other upcoming and archived eOrganic webinar and broadcast recordings, go to http://www.extension.org/pages/25242

About Jim Riddle

Jim Riddle has worked for over 26 years as an organic farmer, inspector, author, policy analyst and educator. He was founding chair of the International Organic Inspectors Association, (IOIA), and co-author of the IFOAM/IOIA International Organic Inspection Manual. He has trained hundreds of organic inspectors throughout the world. Jim served on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Organic Advisory Task Force from 1991-2009, and was instrumental in passage of Minnesota’s landmark organic certification cost-share program. Since January 2006, Jim has worked as the University of Minnesota’s Organic Outreach Coordinator. Jim is former chair of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board, and is a leading voice for organic agriculture.

About eOrganic

eOrganic is the Organic Agriculture Community of Practice at eXtension.org. Our website at http:www.extension.org/organic_production contains articles, videos, and webinars for farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, certifiers, researchers and educators seeking reliable information on organic agriculture, published research results, farmer experiences, and certification. The content is collaboratively authored and reviewed by our community of University researchers and Extension personnel, agricultural professionals, farmers, and certifiers with experience and expertise in organic agriculture.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Chaffee County Building Farmers Program

2011-12-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

Applications are currently being accepted for the inaugural Chaffee County Building Farmer’s Program to be offered in Salida.

The Colorado Building Farmers program builds farm community and farmer capacity through classroom and experiential learning for beginning farmers (0 – 10 yrs exp). The course is a series of 8 evening classes designed to help New Farmers/Ranchers explore farming as a business and provide Intermediate and Experienced Farmers/Ranchers with tools and ideas to refine and enhance their business management, production, and marketing skills.

Classes include Strategic Business Planning, Introduction to holistic management, agriculture modalities, market analysis, land acquisition/leasing, marketing/distribution, financial planning/business organization, budgeting, food safety and other risk management, production Q & A, and presentations of student-created business plans. A variety of local growers and academic specialists make up the cadre of speakers for this eight-week course.

When: Tuesday Evenings, January 31 - March 20, 5:30 pm - 8:30

Where: Chaffee County Fairgrounds, 10165 County Road 120, Salida

Cost: Costs for the course are $200 for new farmers/ranchers, $140 for intermediate farmers/ranchers, and $100 for experienced farmers/ranchers. Course fees include all tuition, expenses, and evening meals each week.

Application Process: Applicants will complete a short questionnaire about their experience and desires for the course, and a local advisory committee will screen applications to determine eligibility.

This course is open to new, intermediate and experienced farmers. Intermediate and Experienced farmers fuel the learning environment. Dinner provides time for socializing and networking. Sessions explore content useful to all levels of experience. New farmers learn in this community of farmer students and teachers.

For more information or an application, contact Kurt Jones at 719-539-6447.

The Colorado Building Farmers program is based upon work supported by NIFA under Award Number 2009-49400-05877 from the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.

Free and Easy Ways to Support Guidestone Every Day

2011-11-30T14:17:00.000-08:00

We’ve just made it easier for you to support Guidestone!

We registered Guidestone (Salida - CO) with GoodSearch.com, a company that helps non-profits like ours raise funds through the everyday actions of our supporters.

Here is how you can help:

Use GoodSearch when you search the interent – they will donate a penny to us every time you do.
Use GoodShop.com when you shop online – they work with more than 2,500 major brands, have over 100,000 coupons and donate a percentage of every purchase you make to us.
Enroll in the GoodDining.com they will donate up to 6% of every dollar you spend when you eat at one of 10,000 participating restaurants.

Please join our community on GoodSearch.com and help us raise money for our mission. Get started by clicking the “Become a Supporter” button on our profile page here!

Check out this video to learn more about how GoodSearch works.

Pumpkin Patch Thank You

2011-10-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

On behalf of Guidestone’s Board of Trustees and staff, I would like to extend a resounding thank you to everyone in the community that participated in our 5^th Annual Pumpkin Patch at Cottonwood Meadows. Thanks to gorgeous fall weather and such a supportive community, this was our most successful event yet. We are delighted at this year’s turnout, with more than 1700 people in attendance over the two weekends’ festivities!

All of the proceeds from the Pumpkin Patch go to support Guidestone’s Farmhands Education Program, which provides hands-on, experiential farm & nature-based education programs to school groups, children and families. Guidestone is a Chaffee County-based non-profit dedicated to strengthening the local food economy through preserving agricultural resources and educating

We would like to specifically thank the following individuals, organizations and animals for helping make the Pumpkin Patch such a great event: Weathervane Farm & Cottonwood Creek Dairy staff and family of farm animals, John Cogswell, Colorado Grown Distribution Center, Ralph Ogden and his team of wranglers, draft horses and ponies from Arkansas Valley Trail Rides, Dennis Fischer and his mule team, the Chaffee County Fire Protection District, and all of our hard-working and positive volunteers: Angie Jensen, Ashley Blazer, Ben Walker, Bev Palm, Bill Earley, Chrissy Supples, Danielle Riggio, Jane Lambard, Jessica Adamson, Jessica Pettee, Joan & Randy Roberts, Josh Visitacion, Karen & Will Berry, Katrina Clark, Kira Cunningham, Kristine Smock, Maude Perschbacher, Naomi Allen, Paul Hauser, Rebecca Owens, Sarah Mudge and Travis Colbert. for ecological literacy.

We also would like to thank the following businesses for their sponsorships or in-kind donations:

LiveWell Chaffee County, The Boathouse Cantina, Landmark Surveying and Mapping, Arlie Dale’s Jug Liquors, Arrowpoint Cattle Company, Brady’s West, Buena Vista Roastery, The Eddyline Restaurant and Brewery, Erin’s Organics Geothermal Greenhouse, The Evergreen Café, GOTO Guide, Headwaters Outdoor Equipment, Heart of Colorado Vacations, Kaleidoscope Toys, The Maverick Potter, The Mixing Bowl, Moonstone Ventures, Mother’s Bistro, Natural Habitats, Nature’s Pantry, Susan Dempsey Hughes (Pinon Realty), Rebound Physical Therapy, Rise and Shine Bakery, Salida Bread Company, Salida Mountain Sports, Simple Foods and Southwest Conservation Corps.

Community support is invaluable to the success of these programs, and we are grateful to be part of such an enthusiastic community that supports local food and local agriculture. Thanks again, and best wishes for a cozy winter. We hope to see you on the farm again soon!

Best regards,

Andrea Earley Coen

Guidestone Education Director

2011-10-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Check Out This Weekend's Pumpkin Patch & Community Events!

Guidestone's Fifth Annual Pumpkin Patch

Saturday, October 22, 10 to 4 and Sunday, October 23, 12 to 4
Location: The Meadows, 15264 Crossman Ave. (CR 350), Buena Vista (Look for the pumpkin signs!)

Join us for hayrides, petting zoo, face painting, pumpkin picking, pony rides, and hot apple cider and lunch, and more!

Admission for adults and children three and over is $5; children two and under are free. All proceeds support Farmhands, Guidestone's Educational Program.

Special thanks to our hosts and sponsors!

Colorado Grown, Cottonwood Creek Dairy, Arkansas Valley Trail Rides, and Cottonwood Creek Dairy

Articipate's 3rd Annual "FUN-Raiser!"

Salida Steamplant Event Center, 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Workshops from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Silent Auction 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Live Entertainment 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Visit the website for more information

Living Green 2011 Home Event

Visit 10 environmental homes throughout Chaffee County

Saturday, October 22, 2011
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Tickets and information at GARNA.org or call 719-539-5106

Guidestone's Pumpkin Patch!!

2011-10-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch Festival
October 15 & 16 and October 22 & 23, 2011

The Pumpkin Patch hours:

Saturday 10am to 4pm, October 15th and 22^nd

Sunday 12pm to 4pm, October 16th and 23^rd

Location: 15264 County Road 350 (look for the pumpkin signs!), Buena Vista

For more information contact andrea@guidestonecolorado.org

Autumn in the Upper Arkansas Valley is a wonderful time to celebrate with seasonal festivities around the abundant harvest. One great event for children and families will be Guidestone’s fifth annual Pumpkin Patch Festival at Cottonwood Meadows in Buena Vista. The Pumpkin Patch Festival is a two-weekend celebration open to the public, which offers a variety of activities and amusements for the whole family.

You can join in on a horse-drawn wagon ride pulled by a local team of horses. The team will pull you out to the pumpkin patch where you can pick the perfect pumpkin for Halloween. Other engaging activities include winding through the hay-bale maze, playing chicken bingo, and enjoying a barbecue bratwurst or burger lunch with hot-apple cider and homemade pies and cookies. There will also be arts and crafts for the children, farm games, face-painting pony rides and a petting zoo. Enjoy the sights and sounds of life on a farm with your friends and neighbors while enjoying the fall colors of the cottonwoods and the views of Mt. Princeton. You can build a scarecrow. Take a walk back to the beautiful meadows along Cottonwood Creek. See the gardens where Weathervane Farm grows the vegetables provided to you through the CSA and markets all season long. And be sure to check out Cottonwood Creek Dairy and learn about old-fashioned raw milk production. And don't miss Colorado Grown, a distribution center specializing in locally grown and Colorado-based farm and specialty products.

Admission is $5 for adults and children three and over - the tiny tots are free! The cost of admission and the proceeds from the barbeque and baked goods will support Farmhands, Guidestone's educational programs. Guidestone is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the local food economy through preserving agricultural resources and educating for ecological literacy. Guidestone’s Farmhands Education Program aims to join children with the hands-on learning experiences of small-scale local food production.

Come Join In The Fun!

Special thanks to John Cogswell of Cottonwood Meadows, Weathervane Farm, Cottonwood Creek Dairy, Colorado Grown and Mt. Princeton Stables for hosting and ongoing support!

"Sustainer" Sponsors

The Boathouse Cantina

LiveWell Chaffee County

"Harvestor" Sponsor

Landmark Surveying & Mapping

"Cultivator" Sponsors

Arlie Dale’s Jug Liquors, Brady’s West, BV Roastery, Erin’s Organics Geothermal Greenhouse,

GOTO Guide, Headwaters Outdoor Equipment, Heart of Colorado Vacations, Moonstone Ventures,

Mothers Bistro, Natural Habitats, Nature’s Pantry, Rebound Physical Therapy, Simple Foods, Salida Mountain Sports, Susan Dempsey Hughes (Pinon Realty) & The Mixing Bowl

Creating Miracles for Sustainable Living

2011-09-07T10:13:00.001-07:00

Publish Post

Join us for a Fundraiser

for

Guidestone and partners Weathervane Farm, Cottonwood Creek Dairy,

and Colorado Grown Co-Op Market!

Hosted by Karen Lacy of Alternative Choices Wellness Center and Eddie Sandoval of Asian Palate.

When: Saturday, September 10, 2011 from 5:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Where: The State Hwy. Theater, Buena Vista

Cost: Entrance Fee (Donation) $5 Adults (13 and up); $3 Kids (5-12)

What: Come for dancing and live entertainment, silent auction, raffle drawing for prizes, and healthy food to eat! All money spent is tax deductible.

Guidestone is dedicated to strengthening the local food economy through preserving agricultural resources and educating for ecological literacy. Guidestone serves farmers, landowners, educators, youth, and community members in the Upper Arkansas River Valley by providing farm based education programs and by supporting and growing the capacity of agricultural resources to help ensure a secure agricultural future for the region. Two Buena Vista farms, Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy, and Colorado Grown Co-op Market currently work with Guidestone and benefit from their work in the community.

Technologies and Sustainable Education

2011-09-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this very interesting TEDx Talk on Technologies and Sustainable Education with Karen Brown, creative director of the Center for Ecoliteracy. Brown is an award-winning designer who has lectured throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan on the human and environmental consequences of design. Enjoy!

Ecological Literacy

2011-08-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

Guidestone is dedicated to strengthening the local food economy through preserving agricultural resources and educating for ecological literacy.

The Upper Arkansas River Valley is a remarkable place in which to live! Within its awe inspiring landscape of mountains, canyons and river valleys, a number of meaningful organizations have taken root. These thriving organizations enhance the quality of life here and nourish us in countless ways through their work.

Recently I attended presentations put on by one such organization, The Collegiate Peaks Forum Series, whose mission is: “to facilitate the intellectual enrichment of The Upper Arkansas Valley residents and their visitors by sponsoring events featuring nationally recognized persons schooled in philosophy, religion or science and hosting other community discussion activities”.

Great work! And a big thank you goes to them for the quality speakers we are continually treated to through their Lecture Series. Temple Grandin, one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, spoke in two separate presentations: Animal Behavior and Autism (a condition Temple has lived with all her life). Last week Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow spoke at the SteamPlant Theater in Salida. Michael’s most recent book is Thank God for Evolution, and Connie’s book The Ghosts of Evolution was on the list of Amazon’s top recommended science books for a number of months.

I had the opportunity to spend time with Michael and Connie in beautiful Chalk Creek Canyon discussing ecological wonders such as the Chalk Cliffs, moraines in the valley, our natural hot springs, bats and local fauna and flora. It was their first time to visit this area. Their enjoyment and enthusiasm for the natural world is contagious, and through their study and understanding of nature and science, they share a link with Guidestone in this appreciation of ecological literacy.

To be ecologically literate is to understand the basic languages "spoken" by Earth, which are easy to see in natural settings. And it requires more than intellectual understanding. It is to become aware at the deepest level of your consciousness that we share the same story. And, since Earth's story is one chapter in the universe story, you learn to experience yourself in the unfolding drama of the universe. Ecological literacy focuses on process and story and its curriculum is transdisciplinary and experiential. Thomas Berry, earth scholar, author and teacher, devoted much of his life to understanding our place as humans in the whole of the Universe Story, which for him became a mythic and mystical, as well as scientific, narrative. He asserts that, “Earth’s story is our story. We are a product of the universe and in us the universe is becoming conscious of itself…” The Sacred Universe, Thomas Berry.

One of my favorite quotes by Berry is "The universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects." Farmers, and those who live close to the land, understand this and know that human economy is inseparable from earth’s own economy. To be truly successful at any endeavor is to live in this larger context.

By Judie Anders, Guidestone Board Member

2011-08-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Showing of Inspiring Film

"The Greenhorns"

Thursday, August 25

Salida SteamPlant Theater

6 pm Appetizers and Drinks

7 pm Film and Discussion

Food and Water Watch, in partnership with Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance, Chaffee Citizens for Sustainability, and Guidestone, is hosting a film screening of The Greenhorns to raise awareness of the 2012 Farm Bill. The event is part of the Fair Farm Bill Road Trip - a month of activities across 20 states to educate consumers about how the federal Farm Bill impacts us all.

From low-income families who need food stamps to survive, to midsized family farmers struggling to stay in business, to shoppers who deserve healthier food choices, everyone has the right to safe, healthy, affordable food that supports independent farmers and producers. But to restore this balance, "voting with our forks" is not enough. We need a fair Farm Bill.

The event will take place on Thursday, August 25 at the Salida SteamPlant Theater starting at 6 pm with "local food" appetizers catered by Michelle Gapp and a cash bar followed by the film screening at 7 pm. "The Greenhorns" is an inspiring documentary about a new generation of farmers. Director and activist Severine von Tscharner Fleming takes her audience on a journey across the United States visiting farms and nurseries urban and rural. Some are operated by children taking over their family businesses and others are start ups by young people attracted to a simpler, more honest way of life. The evening will conclude with a presentation about the Farm Bill by Food and Water Watch senior organizer, Sam Schabacker. This event is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated.

Join Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas for a showing of Green Fire

2011-07-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Join the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas as they present a new feature length documentary on Aldo Leopold. The film, Green Fire, explores Aldo Leopold's life in the early part of the twentieth century and the many ways his land ethic idea continues to be applied all over the world today. Join the Land Trust to watch the film and learn about Leopold's influential ideas and how it relates to our conservation work in the region.

· Salida - July 14th, 7pm, Salida Community Center, 305 F Street

· Buena Vista - July 21st, 7pm, State Highway Building Roadhouse, 402 East Main Street

· August 11th - Leadville, 7pm, Climax Room, Colorado Mountain College - Timberline Campus

· August 24th - Canon City, 7pm, Benedict Room, The Abby Event Center

$3 per person; under 12 free

Please pass this email on to other individuals that might be interested in Aldo Leopold's life and legacy!

Guiding for Conservation

2011-07-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Show your support for land and water conservation in central Colorado by booking a fly fishing, whitewater rafting or mountain biking trip in the Upper Arkansas River valley through the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas on August 15, 2011, the second annual Guiding For Conservation day. Guides from several local fishing, rafting and biking outfitters will donate their guide fee to LTUA in recognition of the conservation work the Trust undertakes to protect riparian habitat, wildlife habitat, water quality, open space and to enhance access to the river and existing trail systems. In a show of support, participating outfitters will match their guides' contribution.

The Upper Arkansas River, from its headwaters near Leadville to the Pueblo Reservoir, has played an important part in the natural and cultural history of the State of Colorado. The River is the lifeblood of the area, important for agricultural water needs, public recreation, biological diversity, and tourism. As one of the major river systems in the State, the Arkansas is the focus of cooperative efforts to promote public recreation and conservation.

Starting in the early 1990's, various interest groups and organizations joined together out of cooperation and mutual respect to reach a balance in the various water needs and uses on the Arkansas, thus providing additional recreational opportunities. That spirit of cooperation lives on, and is embodied in the second annual Guiding For Conservation day on August 15, 2011.

The event is the brainchild of Greg Felt, owner of ArkAnglers Guide Service in Salida, and Hayden Mellsop, guide and board president of the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas.

"The really great thing about this event is that it is guide driven. These guides are committed to protecting the resource that sustains them. They recognize the importance of nurturing the goose that lays the golden egg" said Mellsop. Added Felt, "From an outfitter's perspective, it makes sound business sense for us to be supporting what the Land Trust does. Our goals for a healthy, sustainable river are very much aligned with theirs."

The event is a fun way for people to get out and show their support, both for these guides and owners who care so much, for the communities along the river that depend on it for their economic and social well-being, and for the important work the Land Trust undertakes to help protect this fragile resource.

This is your opportunity to have a fanatic guided trip while contributing to conservation. We need you to book your trip for August 15th and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Here is a list of current companies participating in Guiding For Conservation. For an up-to-date list, click here.

When making your reservation make sure to mention Guiding for Conservation.

ArkAnglers, www.arkanglers.com, 719-539-4223
Absolute Bikes Adventures, www.absolutebikes.com, 719-539-9295
The Adventure Company, www.theadventurecompany.com, 1-800-497-RAFT (7238)
Canyon Marine Whitewater Expeditions, www.canyonmarine.com, 1-800-539-4447
Echo Canyon River Expeditions, www.raftecho.com, 1-800-755-ECHO (3246)
Kokopelli Rafting Adventures, www.kracolorado.com, 1-800-879-9035
Raft Masters, www.raftmasters.com, 1-800-568-7238
Rock-N-Row, www.rocknrow.com, 719-942-4125 or 1-877-487-2494
Royal Gorge Anglers, www.royalgorgeanglers.com, 1-888-994-6743

Urban Agriculture on the Rise

2011-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

It’s great to see changes taking place supporting local food production and marketing opportunities for producers within the city limits of urban populations. Wheat Ridge City Council approved changes to the City Code that support and encourage urban agricultural uses and activities in the City. The code changes updated the City’s regulations and established three main uses for urban agriculture: community gardens, farmers’ markets, and produce stands which are now allowed in any zone district. A summary of the three uses permitted in each zone district may be found on the City Website at this link.

“We’ve seen increased interest in urban agriculture by our residents,” said Mayor Jerry DiTullio. “Wheat Ridge was founded on an agricultural past and it is exciting to see the renewed interest by so many of our residents in a favorite pastime coupled with their desire to access locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. I’m pleased that the amended ordinance creates a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for a resident or business to grow and sell fresh fruits and vegetables with no review fees or oversight by the City.”

“LiveWell Wheat Ridge congratulates the City of Wheat Ridge on making these important changes to the zoning code,” states Molly Hansen, LiveWell Wheat Ridge Coordinator. “Increasing access to locally grown food is a vital step in promoting healthy food options, creating resilient neighborhoods and supporting our local economy. It is exciting to see support from the community and City Council on creating a policy framework that supports these important principles.”

Guidestone salutes efforts to promote urban agriculture in communities. Wheat Ridge is now among the leading municipalities in the State and nation connecting urban dwellers to fresh, healthy food. Cities across the country that have been recognized for adopting zoning codes that support urban agricultural activities are Seattle, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Kansas City.

It is clear that urban agriculture promotes economic and community development, environmental sustainability, and connects people to fresh, healthy food.

Judie Anders, Guidestone

2011-06-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

YOGA Charity Fundraiser for

GUIDESTONE

July 1, 2011

Be the Change and Support Local Food!

Please join Kenny Graham and JalaBlu kick off a weekend of Anusara Yoga bliss in Buena Vista, CO with a charity fundraiser benefitting Guidestone.

Guidestone is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the local food economy. Guidestone serves farmers, landowners, educators, youth, and community members in the Upper Arkansas River Valley by providing farm based education programs and by supporting and growing the capacity of agricultural resources to help ensure a secure agricultural future for the region. Two Buena Vista farms - Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy - currently work with Guidestone and benefit from their work in the community.

"When Kenny Graham suggested doing a charity fundraiser with JalaBlu here in Buena Vista, CO, my heart gravitated towards wanting to do what I could to support my friends at Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy in their efforts to continue to serve the community with fresh local food," said Jenna Pfingston, owner of JalaBlu.

By helping to build the capacity of organizations like Guidestone, the important work of farmland preservation will be possible in our community and our farmers will root to rise and find long term stability on farmland. Please help support an amazing cause full of organic extension. Say YES to Local Food and Guidestone and help this vision happen!

Where: Buena Vista High School Gym, 559 Railroad Street

$10 Suggested Donation

When: July 1, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

This Yoga workshop will continue July 2 and 3. Please contact jalaBlu for information or visit www.jalabluyoga.com

Initiative Launched to Advance Sustainable Food and Agriculture Policies Worldwide

2011-06-01T10:59:00.001-07:00

Earth’s population is expected to pass nine billion by 2050. The availability of food and water is dwindling. Because of this, eight leading foundations, have announced the launch of an initiative designed to address these concerns.

AGree, this collaborative effort, comes at a pivotal moment. Over the next four decades the global population will increase, swelling the ranks of the 925 million people worldwide who currently suffer from under-nutrition or hunger. What's more, the challenges associated with feeding all those people are likely to be exacerbated by limited arable land, increasing pressures on fresh water, and accelerating environmental degradation. AGree will commission research and facilitate discussion among a diverse set of stakeholders, including conventional and organic farmers, ranchers, nutritionists, energy experts, environmentalists, financiers, international aid veterans, and public health specialists.

"AGree will elevate the agriculture and food policy conversation," said Dan Glickman, who served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "We will make it clear to leaders and policy makers that, while difficult, solving food and agriculture issues is of utmost importance and can help solve other pressing problems including public health and the need for economic growth."

Read the press release here.

Judie Anders, Guidestone Board Member

"Economics of Happiness" Film Showing May 17th 7pm

2011-05-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Join Chaffee County Citizens for Sustainability for the showing of the Economics of Happiness.

Tuesday May 17 at Salida SteamPlant Theater 7PM

Following the film there will be a discussion on “WHAT’S HAPPENING LOCALLY”

1. Community Updates:
A. Chris Martin – solar gardens
B. Jon Fitz – LiveWell projects
C. Dave & Suzanne Ward – Farmers Markets,
CSAs, Poncha Springs initiatives.
D. Michele Riggio – Federal Farm Bill
E. Dave Bowers – local ‘cottage industry’ food bill
F. David Lynch – food sovereignty

2. Open Mic … What are you doing and how do you
envision the future of our region?
Share your wisdom and ideas of how to
transition to a healthier, more
unified, vital and resilient community.

About "Economics of Happiness"

Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: fundamentalism and ethnic conflict; climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment. There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet life is becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face mounting pressures at work.

‘The Economics of Happiness’ describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a re‐regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re‐build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – an economics of localization.

We hear from a chorus of voices from six continents including Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Juliet Schor, Zac Goldsmith and Samdhong Rinpoche ‐ the Prime Minister of Tibetʹs government in exile. They tell us that climate change and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localize, to bring the economy home. The good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but also to restore our own sense of well‐being. ‘The Economics of Happiness’ restores our faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.

Support "Local Foods" Bill Today!!

2011-05-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

The 'Local Foods, Local Jobs' Act (SB11 - 258) has passed the Senate but your help is needed to help it pass through the State House! Your support and action is needed as soon as possible to pass SB11-258 and increase consumer access to local, value-added goods, boost local economies, and increase the physical health of the people of Colorado while bringing communities together.

You can help by calling & emailing your Representatives, and encouraging friends and family to do the same. The process is quick & easy!

1) Find your state rep and their contact information by entering your address on this website: http://comaps.org/allsearch_old.html

2) What you can say when you call & email (please feel free to personalize the message)

Hello, my name is ______ and I am from ______. I am calling to support the 'Local Foods, Local Jobs' Act (SB11-258) that will be coming up for a vote shortly.

This bill will:

Support entrepreneurs and encourage job growth
Allow consumers the freedom to purchase products made with quality ingredients grown by local farmers
Promote Colorado agritourism
Allow local growers to be more profitable by utilizing surplus production

Please support for this bill when it comes up for your vote.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

More information on this bill:

This bill makes it easier for local food growers to sell baked goods, jams and jellies, spices, and dehydrated fruits and vegetables to Colorado families. It also boosts entrepreneurial opportunities and increases the availability of fresh, nutritious foods.

While expanding access to local foods, Senate Bill 11-258 also maintains important safety standards such as extensive labeling regulations and requiring products to be sold by growers directly to consumers on farms, at farmers markets, or through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organizations.

To read a copy of the bill, Click Here or paste http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2011A/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/F8D6BE2D5D5766528725780100604D0D?Open&file=258_01.pdfinto your browser

2011-04-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Bill McKibben’s new book “Eaarth” just came out in paperback. I read the hardcopy from the library and was so inspired that I bought two copies in paperback: one to lend and one to give away. It comes with this pronouncement on the front cover which made me pick it up.

"READ IT, PLEASE. STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE END. WHATEVER ELSE YOU WERE PLANNING TO DO NEXT, NOTHING COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT." —BARBARA KINGSOLVER

This book, after reviewing the FACTS of what has occurred on Earth in the environment over the last twenty or so years – not the projections of what COULD happen due to climate change but what HAS happened – truly shook me. I think of myself as being up on current events, but the details outlined were astounding.

The good news…and there is some, I want to share here. One very important step in the process of living on Eaarth, this new planet we inhabit since the old one doesn’t really exist anymore, is that LOCAL AGRICULTURE is a key in the days ahead, and for lots of reasons. Bill McKibben points out, “…local farmers’ markets are the fastest-growing part of the food economy, with sales up 10 to 15 percent a year, and the number of markets doubling and then doubling again in the last decade.” Here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley we can see the evidence of this trend through the efforts of the Foodshed Alliance and others. We have local farmers’ markets in Salida, Buena Vista, Canon City and Westcliffe, and local growers - a real accomplishment in the altitude range of 8,000 ft.

In the final section of the book, “Lightly, Carefully, Gracefully”, a smaller diversified agriculture is promoted as a solution for reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere along with an “uptick of neighboring” among other things. I think we are right on track.

I encourage you to seek out Eaarth. It’s a great read and I have a copy to lend!

Guidestone is a non-profit organization dedicated to the integrity of the agricultural resources of the Upper Arkansas River region by fostering a local food economy, stewarding agricultural lands in production, educating for ecological literacy, and supporting sustainable development.

Book Report by Judie Anders, Guidestone

The Muse's Market - Saturday, April 2nd

2011-03-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Event!

Come check out The Muse's Market on Saturday, April 2nd.

The Muse's Market intermixes Gabrielle Louise's social commentary folk music with the avant-acoustic music of David Rynhart, the poetry of Panama Soweto, the journalistic photography of Sebastião Salgado, and the fine art of Jimmy Danko and Laurie Maves.

Learn more...

Now Hiring... Farmhands Program Assistant

2011-03-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Guidestone’s Farmhands Education Program provides hands-on, experiential farm and nature-based educational opportunities to school groups, custom contract groups, children and families. Farmhands curriculum focuses on nature appreciation, ecological understanding, traditional arts, sustainable agriculture and human health and nutrition. Teaching sites include The Hutchinson Homestead in Salida and Weathervane Farm in Buena Vista.

Responsibilities:

Teach non-residential, outdoor farm & nature education programs for children ages 5-12 and to school groups grades Pre-K – 12. Develop and document lessons and create teaching materials to support Farmhands’ programs. Assist in some administrative duties.

Qualifications:

Educational background in the natural sciences, environmental education, sustainable agriculture, or related field; interested and enthusiastic about environmental education & farming; self-motivated and a sincere interest in the environment; experience working in a farm setting with children. First aid and CPR certification. A reliable car and valid driver’s license is required.

Compensation:

This is a 7-month contract position, ending Nov. 1, 2011, averaging 10 hours/week for $600/month.

Application deadline: April 1, 2011

Please send cover letter, resume and references to:

Andrea Earley Coen

Guidestone Education Director

PO Box 1056

Salida, CO 81201

For more information, go to our website www.guidestonecolorado.org, or feel free to contact Andrea at (970)309-3175 or farmhandsed@gmail.com

Be Inspired to Fight Environmental Decline

2011-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

At Guidestone, we believe in positive action. While our planet struggles against environmental decline, we encourage our community to combat it by working together to dream, build and shape projects, movements and forums that reinforce environmental restoration and sustainability.

Find Inspiration

We have recently discovered a great website that collects and outlines environmental success stories. The Eco Tipping Points features over 100 success stories in which human well-being goes hand in hand with the health of the local ecosystem.

Read about a marine sanctuary in the Philippians, non-pesticide management at cotton farms in India, the creation of a coastal wetland in Arcata, and more!

What we learn from these stories is that successful environmental projects share the following qualities:

• Shared awareness about a problem
• Community participation
• No interruption of nature’s flow
• Transformation of waste into resource
• A strong leader
• A learned past
• Resilience to opposition

Thank you EcoTipping Points for providing desperately needed reassurance that environmental and social problems are not too big, too costly, nor too complicated to be dealt with effectively.

Guidestone's Land-Link Initiative

2010-11-11T15:49:00.001-08:00

Want to learn more about Guidestone's Land-Link Initiative? Check out this informative video!

Pumpkin Patch Festival - October 16 & 17 and October 23 & 24, 2010

2010-10-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

Autumn in the Upper Arkansas Valley is a wonderful time to celebrate with seasonal festivities around the abundant harvest. One great event for children and families will be the Fourth annual Pumpkin Patch Festival at Cottonwood Meadows in Buena Vista. The Pumpkin Patch Festival is a two-weekend celebration open to the public, which offers a variety of activities and amusements for the whole family.

You can join in on a horse-drawn wagon ride pulled by a local team of horses. The team will pull you out to the pumpkin patch where you can pick the perfect pumpkin for Halloween. Other engaging activities include winding through the hay-bale maze, playing chicken bingo, and enjoying a barbecue bratwurst or burger lunch with hot-apple cider and homemade pies and cookies. There will also be arts and crafts for the children, farm games, face-painting and a petting zoo. Enjoy the sights and sounds of life on a farm with your friends and neighbors while enjoying the fall colors of the cottonwoods and the views of Mt. Princeton. You can build a scarecrow. Watch local artisans share their skills and wares. Visit the fire trucks and learn about fire safety with the Chaffee County Fire Protection District. Take a walk back to the beautiful meadows along Cottonwood Creek. See the gardens where Weathervane Farm grows the vegetables provided to you through the CSA and markets all season long. Be sure to check out Cottonwood Creek Dairy and learn about old-fashioned raw milk production. And don't miss Colorado Grown, a distribution center specializing in locally grown and Colorado-based farm and specialty products.

Admission is $5 for adults and children three and over - the tiny tots are free! The cost of admission and the proceeds from the barbeque and baked goods will support Farmhands, Guidestone's educational programs. Guidestone is a non-profit organization that serves the Upper Arkansas River Valley by encouraging our local food economy and preserving our agricultural heritage with the Land-Link Initiative. The Farmhands Education Program, a Guidestone project, aims to join children with the hands-on learning experiences of small-scale local food production.

Come Join In The Fun!

The Pumpkin Patch hours:

Saturday 10am to 4pm, October 16th and 23rd

Sunday 12pm to 4pm, October 17th and 24th

Location: 15264 County Road 350 (look for the pumpkin signs!), Buena Vista. For more information go to www.guidestonecolorado.org.

Special thanks to John Cogswell of Cottonwood Meadows, Weathervane Farm, Cottonwood Creek Dairy, and Colorado Grown for their ongoing support.

2010-09-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

David Lynch of Guidestone was recently interviewed by NPR about our Land-Link program. Check out the interview here!

http://krccnetwork.org/news/2010/09/24/land-link-connects-farmers-with-property-owners/

Images From Gail Schwartz Roundtable Event

2010-06-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who joined in the roundtable discussions with Senator Gail Schwartz on May 27 at the Salida Steam Plant. Stay posted as we will be sharing our collective insights from the meeting with you all soon!

Farmhands Summer Season Begins June 8!

2010-06-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hey all you parents and fun-loving kids out there! Our 2010 Farmhands summer season is about to kick off with Farm Camp, June 8-10, up in Buena Vista. Check out our schedule below for more details about programs happening all summer long both in BV and in Salida!

Join Farmhands Education staff for one or many of these fun, hands-on learning opportunities. Designed for children ages 5 and up, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm or ranch, meet the resident animals, assist with projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Teaching locations include Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy at The Meadows in Buena Vista and the historic Hutchinson Homestead in Salida.

Pre-registration is required for all programs. Please contact Farmhands Director Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175 or email FarmhandsED@gmail.com to register or for more information.

The Meadows, Buena Vista:

Farm Camp

Ages: 5 and up Dates: June 8-10, July 6-8, July 27-29

Times: 9am-3pm each day

Cost: $120 per camp/ 10% discount if you register for all three
Join Farmhands for this unique and exceptionally fun 3-day program. Each day begins with farm chores and a snack. Then it really gets exciting! Days will be filled with teambuilding, nature exploration, aquatic ecology, farm projects, art, journaling, music and possibly even a hint of magic…. We will conclude the camp with a farm feast, harvested and prepared by the campers for their families.

The following programs meet from 9:00-12:00pm and cost $20 each. A farm-grown snack will be provided. Designed for ages 5 and up.

Nature Detectives

June 15 & July 22

Let’s put on our detective hats and go! Explore the woodlands and meadows surrounding Weathervane Farm to learn more about the wild animals that call this place home. Tracks, bones, eat marks and even scat will be our clues to unravel the mysteries of these animals’ homes and habits.

Junior Farmer

June 29

Don your overalls and come on out to the farm for a day of good-ole, down home farm work and fun. We will help work on some projects for Weathervane Farm, and the day will conclude with a special, tasty frozen treat thanks to the cows at Cottonwood Creek Dairy!

Diggin’ for Decomposers

July 20

Get ready to go hunting for the small and squirmy! Through exploration both on the farm and in the surrounding woodlands, learn how the creepiest, crawliest critters are the key to both a forest and our food.

Family Farm Days

Open to ALL ages - Great for families with children 4 and under!

Dates: June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7 Times: 9-11:30am

Cost: $20 for a family of 4/$3 each additional person

Want to come to camp, too? Here’s your chance! Spend a morning on the farm with the whole family. Meet and feed the animals, tour the farm, assist in a farm project and create a farm-inspired craft to take home. A farm-grown snack will be provided, and you are invited to bring a picnic lunch and stay as long as you like!

Hutchinson Homestead, Salida:

Ranch Camp

Ages: 5 and up Dates: June 22-24, July 13-15, Aug. 3-5 Times: 9am-3pm each day

Cost: $120 per camp/ 10% discount if you register for all three
Spend three fun-filled days on a historic ranch! Each day will begin with ranch chores, and participants will get to assist in a variety of ranch projects, learn some animal husbandry skills, explore the pastures and creek, learn about the Hutchinson’s family and general ranching history and practice several traditional art skills, like spinning, candle making, butter making or making jam. There may even be a hint of magic that arises from the past…. The camp will conclude with a ranch-inspired feast and a square dance for campers and their families.

Sen. Schwartz attends agriculture roundtable

2010-05-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

From The Mountain Mail:

"Sen. Gail Schwartz and assistant director of agriculture Bob Miller attended a roundtable discussion about farmland preservation, the land-link initiative and local food economy Thursday at the Salida SteamPlant.

Guidestone personnel hosted the public dialogue session.

Schwartz told The Mountain Mail the event was an opportunity for her to listen to small producers and take issues to the state level to better serve rural communities."

Read the entire article here.

Guidestone to Host Senator Schwartz for Roundtable Discussion

2010-05-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Guidestone has invited Senator Gail Schwartz to participate in a roundtable discussion on May 27th. Check out The Mountain Mail article below that gives all the details.

Schwartz solicits farmland feedback

By Arlene Shovald Special to The Mail
5/3/2010

Sen. Gail Schwartz will be in the Salida SteamPlant Annex from 1:30-4:30 p.m. May 27 for a public dialogue regarding farmland preservation, the Guidestone Land-Link Initiative and the local food economy.

Local organizations and businesses are invited to participate in a panel discussion outlining initiatives underway, barriers faced and solutions they envision toward fulfilling their ideas of a local food economy.

Planners said it is intended as a dynamic dialogue to inform state representatives and solicit their active support.

The meeting will be hosted by the Guidestone board. The organization is dedicated to preserving integrity of agricultural resources of the Upper Arkansas River region.

Intent is to foster a local food economy, stewardship of agricultural land in production, educating toward ecological literacy and supporting maintainable development.

The Guidestone Land Link Initiative partners farmers in need of space to grow food with land owners willing to lease or sell land for that purpose.

Schwartz is interested in advancing conservation efforts in central Colorado and developing land use policies contributing to maintaining rural communities.

She wants feedback about ways the Colorado Legislature can support goals of various organizations working toward those objectives. She said she plans to include Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp in discussions.

To prepare, the Guidestone board developed a survey to guide the program and provide Schwartz with an understanding of challenges in the Upper Arkansas River Valley.

The survey requests a description of food production such as dairying or farming done by the organization, how a group contributes to the local food economy, conservation efforts, barriers encountered and policy changes or financial strategies government might enact or support to help alleviate barriers.

Those interested in participating may get a copy of the survey at Natural Habitats, 202 N. F St., Unit B in The Palace Hotel or at www.guidstonecolorado.org and click on the "survey" icon.

Cottonwood Meadows Cleanup Thank You!

2010-04-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to Cottonwood Meadows last Saturday to help with the cleanup! We had a great showing and the cleanup was a smashing success. Check out the photos below.

Earth Day Celebration in Salida - April 22

2010-04-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance (CCFA), and the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA), are partnering to host an Earth Day Celebration in Salida.

A short film, sponsored by the CCFA, Coming Home, by the EF Schumacher Foundation, will be shown at 7:30 PM.

Local projects, ideas and businesses, will be featured at the celebration. Local energy projects, alternative currency, local farms, CSAs, farmer's markets, farm education projects, land trusts, a nature association, a foodshed alliance, greenhouses, a bioregional magazine and Transition Town will be some of the featured projects.

It will be held at the Community Center, April 22, 6:30 PM - 9 PM. The cost is free, however, a donation will be appreciated.

Please attend and celebrate our locavore living on Earth Day, 2010.

Guidestone Fundraiser Set for April 11 at the Boathouse Cantina in Salida

2010-03-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming out and so is Guidestone! Come learn who Guidestone is and what we are doing to ensure the future of agriculture in this valley. You can help us continue this vital work!!

Join us for a celebration and fundraiser on Sunday, April 11, from 5 till 8 pm at the Boathouse Cantina in Salida next to the F Street Bridge. A 5 dollar bill will get you in and buy you a chance at some tempting raffle prizes and to hear some foot stompin’ music by “Local Honey”. Tickets available at the door.

Special guests will include Commissioner Frank Holman, who is participating in a new Guidestone initiative called Land-Link, a unique partnership between landowners and new farmers.

Guidestone will also roll out its plans for this year’s Farmhands education program, a popular hands-on interactive program to introduce children and their families to the total farm experience. An additional Farmhands teaching location will be announced at this event!!

A healthy local food economy equals healthy, happy people….be a part of Guidestone’s efforts to promote and support a sustainable future for the Upper Arkansas River Valley.

Guidestone would like to thank the following businesses for their support in making this event possible. Our sponsors include, Alternative Choices, Antero Hot Springs, Colorado Grown, Colorado Local Market, Natural Habitats, Ploughboy, South Main, Foresight Multimedia and more. Raffle items are being donated by massage therapist Denise Ackert, Eddyline Restaurant and Brewery, Eliza’s Bed, artist Jimmy “Rocketman” Descant, Mount Princeton Hot Springs, Free the Monkey Consignment, and more.

Hope to see you there!

Weathervane Farm Garden and Fruit CSA Shares Available

2010-03-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

By Caitlin Roberts

The CSA model of food production creates honest connections between the producer, the consumer, and the land. In joining the Weathervane Farm CSA share you will be an integral part of the effort to produce quality food for our community, while sustaining the health of our local farmland and our local economy. Weathervane Farm provides a weekly share of the harvest, including a newsletter to connect with the farm, and recipes to aid in the use of all the delicious farm produce.

Weathervane Farm will once again offer garden and fruit shares this season. The share season runs 16 weeks from June 19^th to October 9^th. The garden share will include a bounty and diversity of vegetables harvested in season, washed, boxed, cooled and ready to enjoy. Though the bulk of the produce in the garden share is grown on site, we also work with other organic and no-spray growers to provide hot weather crops difficult to grow outdoors at 8000ft. We work with Austin Family Farms of Paonia, CO to provide the fruit for the fruit share. Designed to provide you with a diversity of fruits throughout the season including cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, berries, melons, pears and apples, the fruit share is a great way to experience the bounty of Colorado’s fruit growing region. To learn more about the shares follow this link to the Weathervane Farm website. http://www.weathervanefarmbv.com/products/shares.html

Weathervane Farm also raises chickens for eggs and meat. Eggs will be available at the farmers market stand and meat will be available fresh on the day of harvest. To learn more about Weathervane poultry products and reserve fresh birds ready for your oven or freezer please follow this link to the Weathervane Farm website. http://www.weathervanefarmbv.com/products/poultry.html

New Milk Shares Avilable at Cottonwood Creek Dairy

2010-03-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

Cottonwood Creek Dairy welcomes the newest (and cutest) member of the herd! Dot was born on a chilly, snowy morning last week, but she was quickly up and nursing on mom, Angie. Luckily, the three older calves (Chloe, Clara Belle, and Charlie) had just freed up the calf pen and moved into their new home where they have a new shelter and plenty of room to run. So now Dot has the cozy corner pen of the barn to stay warm and be near mom for her twice a day nursings. Please stop in and check out the new calf palace and say hi to Dot when you come to get your milk in the coming weeks.

All this excitement on the Dairy means that we now have an abundance of raw milk shares available for new members. We are also able to offer more extras to our members in the form of yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh mozzarella, and cream. We also have our own delicious milk-fed pork available by the piece. You can try our bacon, sausage, pork chops with out having to buy an entire share of pork this time! Please contact Amy at amyemcmillin[at]gmail[dot]com or call 719-221-9630 about signing up for milk shares or buying pork.

Colorado an "Island of Tranquility" in the Realm of Raw Milk

2010-03-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

Many of you likely know David Lynch of Cottonwood Creek Dairy, Colorado Grown, and Guidestone fame. But you may not be aware that David is also the President of the Raw Milk Association of Colorado. This organization advocates for the availability of traditional raw milk products and for a high standard of safety in the supply. Last weekend, the organization held its annual gathering. Blogger David Gumpert of The Complete Patient attended the meeting and wrote about it at this link.

From As Controversy Over Raw Milk Swirls About, Colorado Is an Island of Tranquility:

"I attended the annual meeting Saturday of the Raw Milk Association of Colorado, and also gave a talk that traced the state and federal crackdown on raw milk over the last four years across the U.S., and how it relates to proposed federal food safety legislation. Afterwards, a number of Colorado farmers and consumers came up to me and said they never realized the extent of government harassment that’s been going on around the country. “It’s a scary situation,” one attendee told me.

But in Colorado, legislation enacted four years ago that allows distribution of raw milk via herdshare arrangements seems to be working well."

Guidestone Volunteer Opportunities!

2010-02-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

Guidestone is growing as our mission and work continue to create more opportunities in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. With several projects underway, we are now looking for volunteers to help us achieve our vision of local agricultural growth.

We see volunteers becoming the heart of our work and will only grow stronger through the time and efforts provided by them. If you want to become part of the Guidestone volunteer team, now is the time to let us know. We have many volunteer opportunities that range from blog and recipe writing, to fundraising, farm cleanup and beyond.

Current volunteer opportunities:

Blogger
Help us write blogs about the local food movement, agriculture in the Arkansas River Valley and recipes that showcase local foods.

Adult Education Class Coordinator
Guidestone hopes to expand its educational offerings to adults. Help us coordinate such classes as “Food Preservation”, “High Altitude Gardening” and “Composting 101”. Suggestions for additional classes are always welcome!

Guidestone Fundraiser
Become a part of Guidstone’s first fundraiser of the year. Help is needed prior to and during the event.
Date: April 11, 2010
Location: Boathouse Cantina, Salida, CO

Spring Meadows Cleanup
Don your work gloves and overalls! This event is a great opportunity to get to know the Guidestone Board and Staff and the farmers of Weathervane Farm, Cottonwood Creek Dairy, and Colorado Grown. Help us to prepare the farm for the upcoming Farmhands educational programs and the growing season ahead. Participate in the maintenance of this beautiful land and creek setting here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley.
Date: To be determined

Farmhands
Do you love to work with kids and animals and dig your hands in the soil? Guidestone’s Farmhands education program will be in need of volunteer assistants this coming season. Please let us know if you are interested and stay tuned for more information.

If you would like to volunteer with Guidestone, please contact Lindsay at laj324[at]yahoo[dot]com or Katie at katie[at]southmainco[dot]com.

Quinoa and Sausage Stuffed Squash

2010-02-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

This dish has quickly become a household wintertime favorite. The original recipe that this one is based on comes from the Joy of Cooking although it has evolved quite a bit since then. The nice thing about this recipe is that it is easy to get creative and come up with your own combinations of flavors. Have fun and enjoy!

Squash – 3 acorn or 1 butternut
2 T olive oil or butter
1 cup quinoa – grown in the San Luis Valley by White Mountain Farms
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb ground sausage – Use any type you like. Visit Colorado Grown for delicious choices
1 cup chopped kale – I saved some in my freezer from last summer’s veggie share through Weathervane Farm
½ cup Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping, grated
Seasonings and salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350

Halve and seed squash. Place a steaming basket in a pot with water (be sure to not allow the water level to be higher than the level of the bottom of the basket). Bring the water to a boil and add the squash halves. Cover and steam until soft, usually 10 to 15 minutes.

Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and drain. In a medium sized pot heat oil or butter and add chopped onions and garlic. Cook until golden. Add quinoa, toasting for about 3 minutes. Add broth and other seasonings (I used coriander and turmeric… just get creative). Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 12 – 15 minutes until the liquid is gone.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet cook sausage. Add chopped kale, stirring until wilted. Turn off heat.

Combine quinoa mixture with sausage mixture and parmesan cheese. Make any final seasoning adjustments. Spoon into squash halves and place in baking dish. Top with remaining grated Parmesan. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

David Lynch Interviewed on KCFR "Colorado Matters"

2010-02-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Guidestone's David Lynch recently sat down with Ryan Warner of Denver radio station KCFR's Colorado Matters for an interview about the Chaffee County Land Link Initiative. The discussion highlights the concepts and motives behind this new program and also details some of its first participants. To check out the interview click on the following link, then scroll down the page to Wednesday, January 27 and click on the title, "Cultivating New Farmers & Ranchers":

Colorado Matters: Cultivating New Farmers & Ranchers

Chaffee County Land-Link Initiative: An Update

2009-12-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

By: David Lynch, Land-Link Director

In early 2009, Guidestone began exploration of the idea of launching a Land-Link Initiative here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley (see Introducing Guidestone's Land Link Intitiative). Since that time, the Chaffee County Land-Link Initiative has been gaining considerable momentum. The Chaffee County Board of Commissioners recently embraced the program committing $5,000 in matching funds toward the USDA grant proposal that is currently being prepared by the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Seven area nonprofit organizations and agencies have lent their support to this initiative by providing endorsements and several have stepped up and made pledges in matching funds toward the project. In addition, the program has received considerable attention state-wide from other organizations and leaders thanks to a recent article featuring the Land Link Initiative in the Denver Post.

At the recent annual convention of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU), policy was adopted by the delegates from a three-state area, to support a region-wide land link effort. RMFU’s Cooperative Development Center under the hand of director Ben Rainbolt is eyeing the Chaffee County Land-Link Initiative as the pilot for a statewide undertaking. Additionally, RMFU covered all expenses for David Lynch, Guidestone’s Land-Link Director, to attend a western region farm-link conference held in California. Considerable information and resources were provided at this event and David returns with increased enthusiasm for developing a Central Colorado region land-link program.

The USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant that is in progress, will provide the initial funding to get the Initiative off the ground. The grant proposal will be submitted in February, and if approved, will be awarded this next summer. Expectations are high and the land-link steering committee will continue laying the foundation in the coming months. Stay tuned for additional updates!

We would like to thank all of the organizations who have expressed their support of this program:

Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance
Chaffee County Board of Commissioners
Chaffee County Heritage Area
Chaffee County Planning Commission
GARNA
Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas
NRCS
Sonoran Institute

Another Splendid Pumpkin Patch Festival

2009-12-20T15:24:00.000-08:00

Guidestone’s Pumpkin Patch is an annual event, hosted over two weekends in October, which provides a festive celebration of the harvest season for children and families. Activities include crafts for kids, a hay bale maze, face painting, pony rides, and a horse drawn wagon ride out to a pumpkin patch where children can pick their own pumpkin to bring home. For three years the event has been held at Cottonwood Meadows in Buena Vista, where there are farm animals to visit and Weathervane Farm’s beautiful gardens to peruse. Or participants can take a walk through the golden leaves of the Cottonwood trees along Cottonwood Creek. Music and food round out the festive atmosphere.

This year, our 3rd annual, was the most successful one yet, with around 1000 people in attendance over the two weekends. People came from Chaffee, Lake, Fremont and Eagle Counties to enjoy this abundant time of year. All of the event’s proceeds go to support Guidestone’s Farmhands Education Program, which provides hands-on, experiential farm & nature-based education programs to groups, children and families. Community support is invaluable to the success of these programs, and Guidestone is grateful to everyone that attended this year for appreciating and celebrating agriculture, community and education. We would also like to thank the farmers, volunteers, and the folks at Cottonwood Meadows for their continued support of this festival.

By: Andrea Earley Coen

Online Farmers Market Makes Buying Locally a Cinch for Central Colorado

2009-12-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Arkansas River Valley is rich in agricultural abundance and now a new company is making it possible for residents to access local products by providing a convenient way to buy locally from dozens of producers over the web.

Lindsay Diamond is the founder of Colorado Local Market, a new year-round online local foods market dedicated to bringing the people of Central Colorado freshly picked, locally produced food and related products. “There are dozens of local food resources in the Arkansas River Valley alone,” says Diamond. “My goal is to make it very convenient to purchase from all of them so eating locally can become an easier and richer experience.”

The new website, www.colocalmarket.com, enables local producers to list what foods they have available each week. Customers can shop from those items, add them to a shopping cart and pickup their order on Tuesday afternoons in Buena Vista.

Diamond is targeting farms and producers and consumers of all sizes. “The beauty of this site is that it provides the abundance of a farmers market (CSA), the convenience of community supported agriculture and the selection of a grocery store all in an easy-to-use website.”

While there are active farmers markets and CSAs in the area, Colorado Local Market fills the need for individuals who don’t want to commit to a CSA or who can’t always attend a weekend farmers market. “With Colorado Local Market you get more choice. You can choose what you want and how much you want,” says Diamond.

Colorado Local Market will begin selling items spring 2010. It is currently accepting producer and customer registration. Items ordered from Colorado Local Market (www.colocalmarket.com) will be available for pick up on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Jala Blu Yoga, behind the Evergeen Café in Buena Vista. Visit www.colocalmarket.com to learn more.

Pumpkin and Pistachio Risotto

2009-12-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

By: Jeff B.

This elegant combination of creamy golden rice and orange pumpkin can be as pale or bright as you like by adding different quantities of saffron. Who doesn’t love cooking with saffron and, better yet, this recipe cleans out the frozen pumpkin left over from Halloween and Colorado Grown. Please be careful, this risotto recipe is likely to be a stepping stone to booking a spring trip to Northern Italy.

Serves 4

Ingredients
5 cups fresh vegetable stock or water
Generous pinch of saffron threads
2 tbsps olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb Arborio rice
2 lbs pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ in cubes
¾ cup dry white wine
½ oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ cup pistachios
3 tbsps chopped fresh marjoram or oregano, plus extra leaves, to garnish
Salt, freshly grated nutmeg and ground black pepper

Bring the stock or water to a boil and reduce to low simmer. Ladle a little stock into a small bowl. Add the saffron threads and leave to infuse.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the rice and pumpkin and cook for a few more minutes until the rice looks transparent.
Pour in the wine and allow it to boil hard. When it is absorbed add ¼ of the stock and the infused saffron and liquid. Stir constantly until all the liquid is absorbed.
Gradually add the stock or water, a ladleful at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more and stirring all the time. After 20-30 minutes the rice should golden yellow and creamy, and al dente when tested.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese, cover the pan and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
To finish, stir in the pistachios and marjoram or oregano. Season to taste with a little salt, nutmeg and pepper and scatter over a few extra marjoram or oregano leaves.

Enjoy!

The Season of Giving – Shopping Local

2009-11-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

Judie Anders - Nathrop, CO

It’s the holiday season and I find myself reflecting on people and things in my life that I am thankful for. I love living in this Valley with its clean air, beautiful views, majestic mountains, great people and good food. Salida and Buena Vista have their own farmers, ranchers, gardeners, farm workers, food workers, and cooks who are long time food lovers and make the world a more delicious place in which to live. They are near and dear to my heart. My thoughts of holiday meals and gift giving are getting a lot of my attention these days and this year I am considering the impact of my food purchasing and gift purchasing choices and how that affects this valley in which I live.

Statistics released by the U.S. Department of Labor in February — state that if half of the country’s employed population spent an additional $50 per month at locally owned businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion revenue.

From a 2008 study by analysts from Chicago-based Civic Economics — reveals that, of every $100 spent at a locally owned, independent merchant, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. This number drops to $43 per $100 for purchases at retail franchises.

I found these on a website called The 3/50 Project: Saving the brick and mortars our nation is built on. You might want to check it out yourself for some new ideas: www.the350project.net This website inspired me to consider how I could change the way I shop and make a difference where I live.

PUTTING YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS

I am a member of Guidestone, a local not for profit organization which is devoted to supporting a sustainable future for the bioregion of the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Guidestone enhances our growing local food economy by supporting local growers through programs such as the Land-Link Initiative and Farmhands Education Program. It puts on great events like the Pumpkin Patch every year which brings people out to the farm for a taste of farm life and to meet the farmers who grow their food. Food production and farming, and their benefits to a happy and healthy lifestyle, is a passion of mine. Here’s a little history about our valley from the Guidestone website www.guidestonecolorado.org:

Believe it or not, historically, the Upper Arkansas River Valley was a thriving agricultural region. At one point the iceberg lettuce capital of the US, our soils played host to a large variety of crops and livestock. As our American culture began to lean more heavily on foods imported from elsewhere, much of our local agricultural knowledge and food economy was lost. We envision an Upper Arkansas River Valley of the future that embraces the agricultural heritage of our past while always keeping a keen eye for better and more sustainable methods of food production. Food is a celebration of life. It is at the core of who we are as people. It is often the centerpiece for community gatherings and events. It tells stories of our past and, we believe, our collective regional knowledge of it will determine much of our future.

Through our educational work and the facilitation of new relationships with farmers and landowners, we encourage the emergence of new farming enterprises here in the valley. We look for ways to bring buyers and producers of local goods together by promoting and offering opportunities such as CSAs, distribution centers, farmers markets, and events.

I realize that I can do something to keep our local economy GROWING by making unique, or sometimes just different, choices about what I purchase and where. I can support the local growers, restaurants and artists who make this valley more diverse, more sustainable and more enjoyable.

SHOPPING LOCAL

Support local artists and attend Craft Fairs where locally produced gifts can be purchased, often to the benefit of local charities and people in need right here in our community. There are fine cheeses, wines, breads, baked goods, clothing and tools made right here. There are many locally made gifts which can be found for everyone on your shopping list. Give a subscription to a local CSA Garden - Community Supported Agriculture - which provides in season vegetables fresh each week from local gardeners for a number of months each season. That will support our agricultural lands right at home and those who grow it as well. What about taking the family on a vacation to any number of the hot springs in the area, or eating out at a local restaurant for a special meal? These things would bring money to our friends and neighbors who live and work here and be pleasurable as well.

In this economy we may need to downsize the amount of money spent or number of gifts given this season. Even so, it’s good to remember the often quoted saying when giving or receiving gifts, it’s the thought that counts the most. When someone gives thought to the perfect gift it fits just right in every way. Shopping locally gives to the well being of the community and is a loving gift to someone special. Giving gifts that give again in growing the health and wealth of our community can be one of the joys of this season.

Happy Holidays!

Guidestone's Land-Link Program Featured on Front Page of Denver Post

2009-11-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Jason Blevins of the Denver Post recently visited with Land Link Director, David Lynch, and members of the Guidestone board to learn more about our newly developing Land Link program. From the article featured in today's paper:

"A Land Link toolbox would include a variety of leases that protect both the new farmer and the landowner. It could be a crop share, a profit share or a straight land lease or lease-to-own. It would include an educational component for young farmers. It would require prospective tenant farmers to have a solid business plan."

Read the entire article at this link.

Guidestone Launches Membership Drive

2009-10-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

By: Allison A.

This past year has brought significant growth to Guidestone as an organization. This summer season had a very active and successful Farmhands educational program that provided many of our local children an opportunity to be exposed to life on the farm – which, for many of them, was their first time. Now, we are in the process of launching our Land-Link Initiative, a new program that will potentially serve as a statewide pilot project to connect retiring farmers and non-farming landowners with next generation farmers who desire to work the land, produce food, and otherwise participate in a local food economy. With every passing season, the commitment to our mission and the clarity with which we pursue it is becoming more powerful.

As our conviction grows, so does our need for a greater financial basis from which to operate. In light of this, we will be introducing a new membership drive at this year’s Pumpkin Patch Festival. We hope you will find the time to come out and celebrate the autumn season with us and to learn about all of the work that has been accomplished in the past year. We also hope you will consider joining us as a member. Our membership levels consist of Individual, Family and Business annual memberships.

We appreciate your support.

Introducing Guidestone’s Land-Link Initiative

2009-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

By: Allison A.

As many of you know, we have three key guiding mantras here at Guidestone:

• We connect people to the land and land to the people.
• We grow farmers.
• We support and revitalize our local food economy and food culture.

Over the last several months, the board and staff of Guidestone have been developing a new project that has the potential of significantly contributing to the fulfillment of all three of those mantras.

The agricultural lands of the Central Colorado Rockies are currently faced with substantial development pressure, water is being removed from the land and their rights are being sold to municipalities and corporations far away from their source. Many would-be young farmers and ranchers are moving to the city rather than choosing to take over the family farm while other would-like-to-be farmers and ranchers cannot afford or have no access to productive land. Our expectation is that this new project will provide a healthy alternative to all of those scenarios.

The Land-Link Initiative will work to connect retiring farmers and ranchers as well as absentee landowners with next generation farmers. The initiative will create a database that provides solutions to the challenges of access to farmland, security of tenure, long-term affordability and stewardship of the resources. Guidestone’s services will assist with crafting the lease and equitable agreements between the landowner and the farmer. These agreements provide economically viable options for landowners that keep the agricultural heritage and water on their land intact. In addition, this program will support beginning farmers through an educational curriculum with a strong emphasis in financial planning, marketing strategies, business plans, food policy, legal issues, and production techniques.

Currently, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union is providing technical assistance to Guidestone in procuring a USDA grant, which, if awarded, will provide initial funding for a land-link pilot program for Chaffee County. To meet the requirements of the grant, Guidestone must provide a $10,000 matching fund. A number of local organizations have already written letters of support of this project and many have pledged financial support in contribution to the matching fund. A list of these organizations can be found on our website.

Programs similar to this Land-Link Initiative are in place in twenty other states throughout the U.S. Already, Guidestone has received a number of applications to participate in the pilot program – both landowners and farmers. Our hope is that the Guidestone Land-Link Initiative will become a model project in Colorado and will later serve as a template for other regional or statewide land-link programs.

Allison's Righteous Carrot Cupcakes

2009-10-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

Carrot cake is a wonderful autumn comfort food. Make a batch of cupcakes and either freeze a few for a later time or make your friends smile by giving them away. We like using hazelnuts, but that is because we have a great source in Oregon. The walnuts or the pecans both make a fantastic cake. Enjoy!!

Cakes

4 Large Eggs
3/4 C Canola Oil
3/4 C Applesauce
2 t vanilla
1 C Turbinado (or granulated sugar)
1/4 C Honey
2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Baking Powder
1 1/2 t Salt
1 T Ground Cinnamon
1/2 t Ground Nutmeg
2 1/2 C Finely Grated Carrots
1 C Chopped Pecans, Walnuts, or Hazelnuts
1 C Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1 C Raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour muffin pan or line with cupcake papers. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, and add the oil and apple sauce while the mixer is running. Add the vanilla, then sprinkle in the sugar and honey. You will have a thick, foamy mixture. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Add these dry ingredients to the eggs and oil in your mixing bowl, mixing to make a smooth batter. Add the carrots, raisins, and nuts, then the coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Fill each pan 3/4 full.

Bake the cakes for 20 minutes, then check the middle with a toothpick to see if any batter sticks. The cakes are done when a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Cool completely on a wire rack then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This particular frosting is low in sugar but still acts as the perfect compliment to the carrot cake.

8 oz Cream Cheese
5 T Unsalted Butter
2 t Vanilla
1/4 C Powdered Sugar

Have the cream cheese cold. The butter can be cold, but preferably at room temperature. Combine in a food processor and pulse just until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too stiff, pulse for a few seconds longer. Do not over process.

Ark Valley Voice October Issue Features Local Food Issue

2009-10-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

The cover story of the Ark Valley Voice October print edition is "The Local Food Issue". The article, Valley Sees Biggest Jump in Local Food Production Since 1930, features Guidestone's David Lynch who talks about the Land-Link Initiative.

To read the article in it's entirely, you'll have swing by and pick up a hard copy. Otherwise, you can read the first several paragraphs at this link.

Farmhands Article in Chaffee County Times

2009-09-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

The Chaffee County Times recently published this article about Guidestone's Farmhands program:

"Being connected to the land is a way of life in the American West. Nowhere is this more evident than at Guidestone, a sustainable-farm project nonprofit organization. Its roots have been firmly planted in Colorado soil since 1992 with a dedication to creating a sustainable local food economy..."

Read Sustainable-farm project includes educational day camps here.

3rd Annual Pumpkin Patch Festival: October 17 & 18 and October 24 & 25, 2009

2009-09-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Autumn is a time of color and wonder in the Arkansas Valley and there’s no better way to celebrate it than to take part in its seasonal festivities. One such event will be the third annual Pumpkin Patch Festival at Cottonwood Meadows in Buena Vista. The Pumpkin Patch Festival is a two weekend celebration open to the public which offers a variety of activities and amusements for the whole family.

You can join in on a horse-drawn wagon ride pulled by a local team of horses. They’ll pull you out to the patch where you can pick the perfect pumpkin. Bring it back and carve it at the farm. Or, if you’d prefer, you can carve it at home and spend your time running through the hay-bale maze, playing cow-pie bingo, bidding in a silent auction, enjoying a barbecue lunch, sipping hot-apple cider and enjoying homemade pies and cookies, bobbing for apples, visiting and petting the rabbits, horses, calves, ducks, chickens, dogs and more. You can have your face painted, see fire trucks and learn about fire safety with the Chaffee County Fire Department, take a walk through the gardens or back to the beautiful meadows along Cottonwood Creek. Be sure to visit the raw milk dairy and Colorado Grown, a distribution center specializing in locally grown and Colorado-based products.

Admission is five dollars for adults and children three and over. The cost of admission and the barbecue will go to support Farmhands Education, a program of the non-profit Guidestone, which aims to join children with the hands-on experience of small scale, local food production. The Farmhands Pumpkin Patch hours are Saturday, October 17th and 24th from 10am to 4pm and Sunday, October 18th and 25th from 12pm to 4pm. For more information or to schedule education programs for your group schools, contact Andrea at Guidestone 719-395-5814. Special thanks to Cottonwood Meadows, Weathervane Farm, The Dairy at Cottonwood Creek and Guidestone for their support

Life on a Farm!

2009-07-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

By Judie Anders

Last week I was invited to attend a Farm Feast prepared by one of my favorite friends, Charlie, age 5. It was the completion of a three day Farm Camp experience for youngsters ages 5-7. We ate carrots, radishes, beets, cooked chard & kale all fresh picked from the garden, eggs from the chickens and homemade Ice Cream with wild harvested gooseberries on top made with creamy milk from the cows. It was delicious! What was even more enjoyable was seeing the shining faces of the children as they sang a song they made up about their farm experience about the cow Unbelievable who gave birth to a calf the night before including lots of laughter about the animals and how much fun it is to be on a farm.

Farming life is foreign to most of us even in this agricultural county, with fewer young people going into the farming and ranching lifestyle. I salute John Cogswell, owner of The Meadows, for hosting the programs and Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy for allowing the plants and animals to be enthusiastically loved by these youngsters. The Farmhands Program is created and run by Guidestone, a non-profit educational organization that serves the Upper Arkansas River Valley of Colorado. Its goals are to Grow Farmers; To Connect people to the land and land to the people; and To Support and revitalize our local food economy and food culture. Andrea Earley Coen, a banjo playin “farmer” heads up each of the programs offered. Andrea has a degree in Geology and has taught middle school Science/Earth Science and designs the programs to meet Colorado State Science standards. She comes with 20 years of outdoor teaching experience in environmental education and an obvious love of the earth and the critters and kids (goats and human). If you're a teacher looking for a fun field trip for your students, you might want to contact Farmhands about setting up a program that can both take place on the farm and meet CO State Science Standards.

I was very inspired by this program which introduces children in a practical grounded way to where their food comes from, how it is grown and how delicious fresh vegetables can be. There’s still time this summer to get in on the action. Here’s the info on upcoming events:
Join Farmhands Education for one or many of these fun, hands-on programs based at The Meadows at Cottonwood Creek in Buena Vista. Designed for children ages 5-11, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm, meet the farm animals, assist with farm projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Local producers Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy provide the hands-on “classroom.”

JUNIOR FARMERS
July 28 - ages 5-7, 9:30-11:30am; July 29 - ages 8-11, 10am-2pm
Don your overalls and come on out to the farm for a day of good-ole, down home farm work and fun. We will help work on some projects for Weathervane Farm, and the day will conclude with a special, tasty frozen treat thanks to the cows at Cottonwood Creek Dairy!

FARM CAMP
Aug. 3rd-5th - ages 5-7
If a one-day program seems too short, come join us for this unique and exceptionally fun 3-day program. Each day begins with farm chores and a snack. Then it really gets exciting! Days will be filled with teambuilding, nature exploration, aquatic ecology, farm projects, art, journaling, music and possibly even a hint of magic…. We will conclude the camp with a farm feast, harvested and prepared by the campers for their families. Offered throughout the summer. We hope to see you there!

FAMILY FARM DAY
Aug. 1st 9-11:30am
Want to come to camp, too? Here’s your chance! Spend a morning on the farm with the whole family. Meet and feed the animals, tour the farm, assist in a farm project and create a farm-inspired craft to take home. A farm-grown snack will be provided. You are invited to bring a picnic lunch and stay as long as you like!

Pre-registration is required for all programs. Please contact Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175 or pflower[at]sopris.net to register or for more information.

A Perspective on the Cow Tax.

2009-05-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

By Joel Benson

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that greenhouse gases may endanger public health or welfare. This discovery will be under public eyes for 60 days of comment. While the statement may be true, particularly given concerns over global climate change, there are some significant unintended consequences that could follow, including consequences that would affect the relatively few producers here in along the Upper Arkansas River Valley as well as the plentiful consumers.

If the EPA settles on its decision, then emissions of methane, among other gases, have to be regulated. Methane comes from a many, many sources, but primarily decomposition in an environment that has no oxygen, such as a landfill, a bog, rice fields, and the stomachs of animals. We are concerned with the latter, cows in particular. Ogden Nash wrote, “The cow is of the bovine ilk; One end is moo; the other, milk." One additional product of the cow is gas. Biogas, if you will. According to one study, a single Holstein dairy cow can fill 140 two-liter bottles with gas in a single day. An 1800 animal dairy (Holsteins) can produce 48,000 pounds of manure in a day, or more than 17 million pounds in a year. The manure can be composted or, with proper grazing management, put out on the fields. Flatulence and burped gas cannot. So, the EPA would have to regulate this methane. A policy is put into place and regulators get busy enforcing this policy. The EPA would now have a “cow tax” or “flatulent tax”. For each cow you have, you pay a tax to offset its potential damage.

Let’s analyze the policy. We have to ask ourselves what problem the policy is trying to address. Then we work to get to the root cause of the problem.

First, what is the problem that the policy is trying to address? Global climate change.
Second, the root cause: Why does global climate change happen? Many, many factors contribute and one piece of conventional wisdom says that there are too many greenhouse gases. Why are there too many greenhouse gases? We are burning fossil fuels and cows burp and fart methane. Regardless of your opinions on the validity of global climate change, I will focus on this last question; the answer to which gives a tremendous breakdown in logic.

We visit the sources stated: Fossil fuels and methane.
Fossil fuels: This is not the subject of this article. There is a lot to say about this subject and experts from around the globe are debating the topic and creating new industry that deals with fossil fuels and distribution networks. One note, if we were to stop all burning of fossil fuels, we would not stop the build up of atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Methane: We will address methane in depth, as it is the ‘problem’ that the cow tax policy is trying to address.
Other sources: We as global citizens generally do not talk about fire as a contributor to atmospheric greenhouse gases. One acre of rainforest burning is the equivalent to the annual emissions of 16 vehicles in the United States. Millions of acres burn each year. On average 3.8 million acres burn in the United States alone. Most of the continent of Africa burns annually. The argument goes, that fire is natural. This statement should be visited in depth and the role of fire as opposed to other tools, such as herds of animals, should be visited. The point in bringing this up is that there are other significant sources of greenhouse gases that do not get the attention they deserve.

This argument brings up the fact that there may be more to global climate change than we first assume and therefore we may not be treating the root cause of the problem. But, we investigate: are cows the root cause of the problem?

As far as I can tell, there are studies that measure methane produced in a confined animal lot, or feedlot. A bag is attached to the back end of a cow and a hose to the front end with a meter that accounts for methane and other gases emitted. Measure, average the readings, and enact a tax. But, cows did not evolve to eat grain as their primary feed, rather grass. The microorganisms inside the rumen of a cow behave differently for different feeds. If a cow primarily ate that which it evolved to digest, namely grass, the methane levels would change. And again, if the cow spent a majority of its days on pasture where its manure would decompose outside of a massive pile of anaerobic dung, total methane would be reduced. Furthermore, the activity of a cow can affect the growth of the grass and the microorganisms in the soil, actually removing carbon and sequestering it into the ground. The curiosity: feedlot animals are not pastured animals. Granted, most every cow in the country is in a ‘feedlot’ at some point in its life, and even the anticipated new organic rules state that a cow only needs 30% of its diet for 120 days from pasture. But the interplay with pasture will change the flatulence of cows, and therefore gives cause to reevaluate the cow tax. Conclusions of a study carried out on feedlot animals may not pertain to pasture. Perhaps the management of cows by humans and the resultant behavior of cows are more the root cause of the influx of methane.

So, the policy of a ‘cow tax’ does not address the root cause of the problem of contributing greenhouse gas. I do not bring up the actual build up of gas nor how to remove greenhouse gases. The inability of the soil to sequester carbon may be closer to the root cause of the problem than actually putting carbon and methane into the atmosphere. Even so, the taxation of cows that eat food that they did not evolve to eat, i.e. corn, and managing them in large feedlot operations, address a symptom of the problem. The policy of a ‘cow tax’ is flawed from the outset because it will not do what it intends.

We then look at the externalities. The Upper Arkansas has a limited growing season. Cows are generally pastured in the summer and hayed in the winter. Some grain will be fed, but not to the extent or ration that is done in a conventional feedlot. Across-the-board ‘emission fees’ would jeopardize the solvency of any ranching or dairy in the valley. According to calculations by the American Farm Bureau Federation farmers and ranchers would pay $175 per dairy cow and $87.50 per beef cow. Levying a tax places an additional burden on our local producers and may be a tipping point to encourage ranchers to sell property and water rights to other entities. Perhaps not, but the potential of both water moving out of the county and the area’s green agricultural fields being turned into subdivisions grows significantly. What some call open space or viewsheds could disappear from the valley as well as a potential supply of beef and milk. Furthermore, meat prices will go up as we the consumer offset the cow tax.

The policy fails on all accounts.

Farmhands Announce Education Program for Spring/Summer 2009

2009-04-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

As spring emerges, Farmhands education programs are getting underway! April 11th marks our first program, hosting the Chaffee County Mentors for a tour and fun on the farm. Youth In Action will also be participating in a farm-based program a few days later. There are many unique learning opportunities available to groups through Farmhands. To schedule a Farmhands program, please call Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175.

Kid’s Summer Programs at Weathervane Farm
Farmhands is expanding its summer programming! Join Farmhands Education staff for one or many of these fun, hands-on programs based at The Meadows at Cottonwood Creek in Buena Vista. Designed for children ages 5-11, all programs are interactive, educational, and exciting opportunities to experience a working farm, meet the farm animals, assist with farm projects and explore the surrounding natural habitat. Local producers Weathervane Farm and Cottonwood Creek Dairy provide the hands-on “classroom.” Some of the class titles include:

- Farm & Wilderness Camp
- Chicken & the Egg
- Kids N’ Kids
- Little Sprouts
- Fun with Fleece
- Tracks & Signs – Who Lives Here?
- Diggin’ for Decomposers
- Farmer’s Helpers

Pre-registration is required for all programs. To register or for more information, please call Andrea Earley Coen at (970)309-3175.

** Farmhands, Guidestone's youth education program, gives children and school groups an opportunity to learn about their food source and what it takes to provide a safe, healthy food supply.

Cultivating Relationships with Land and People

2009-04-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

By: Caitlin Roberts

As we fold brochures and finish website updates, the green grass begins to push through the brown carpet of winter and the perennial plants display emerald crowns of new growth. A new garden season is upon us. With seeds started in the greenhouse, baby chicks on order, and a season of field plantings on the schedule, we set the course on a new farming adventure.

This season marks our tenth year working on farms and our third as business owners of Weathervane Farm. In our first year here we grew a small garden for farmers market sales and worked with a West Slope fruit grower to provide fruit CSA shares. We also started egg production. Last year we expanded our operation to include vegetable CSA shares from our garden, wholesale accounts, pasture raised poultry, and lacto-fermented vegetables.

Our direct and local marketing provides us with great opportunities to cultivate relationships within our community. It is a pleasure for us to feel connected to the folks eating the food we grow.

When food dollars go to support local agriculture, there are many positive outcomes. Where shopping at the grocery store can be a detached and anonymous process, eating locally is about cultivating relationships with food, people, and land.

When we know the biological roots of our food and can connect with the source, there is more opportunity to learn about and be involved with the farming practices that directly impact us. Visits to the farm to pick-up shares, volunteer, or attend farm events, are activities that aid in connecting members to the land and food producers.

The Asian Palate, Mother’s Bistro, Simple Foods, Nature’s Pantry and Colorado Grown also help keep you close to the source by incorporating our products into their offerings.

Fruit and garden shares are still available. For more information about our farm and products visit our website at www.weathervanefarmbv.com.

Caitlin Roberts and her husband, Seth own and operate Weathervane Farm in Buena Vista, CO.

Guidestone Seeks New Board Members, Advisors, and Volunteers

2009-04-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Buena Vista, Colorado - Guidestone, a local non-profit devoted to supporting a sustainable future for the bioregion of the Upper Arkansas River Valley currently has positions open for new board members. In addition, Guidestone is looking for interested participants to serve as advisors and volunteers as the organization will be expanding the scope of its work in supporting the local food economy, farm based education, and local agricultural resource preservation in the coming months.

More information about Guidestone can be found at www.GuidestoneColorado.org and at www.GuidestoneCO.blogspot.com. Residents of the Upper Arkansas River Valley who are interested in becoming involved with Guidestone in any of these capacities are requested to send an email to guidestoneco[at]gmail[dot]com.

Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy Opens in Buena Vista

2009-03-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Allison A.

The past two weekends here in Buena Vista have marked the long anticipated grand opening of Jumpin' Good Goat Dairy. As they say on their website, the cheese is, "Made by hand, with love." And you can clearly tell that this is true by how amazing each variety tastes. The dairy creates a number of aged and flavored cheeses and has them available for sale at their on-site country store. To learn more about the dairy, visit their very fun website at this link.

Welcome to the valley... we're glad you're here!

A Response to the National Animal Identification System

2009-03-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

By: David Lynch

Very often, focusing on our “local minds” we lose sight of the impact that state or national legislation may have on our personal lives. Take NAIS for example: even as I write this, the National Animal Identification System is a new regulatory process being implemented by the USDA. What is NAIS? It is an identification system for all U.S. livestock that will keep track of the movement of all domestic animals intended for our food supply. It is being couched under the auspices of national food safety and Homeland Security.

Sounds good, doesn’t it! Very American! But the facts are this regulatory proposal creates a huge imposition on the small, family farmer. Not only will require everyone who raises livestock for food production to register their farm premises in a national database, by 2010, the USDA will mandate the microchip identification of every cow, sheep, pig and eventually chicken on a farmer’s property. The cost? Estimated at $37.00 per animal!

In reality, the regulation is primarily intended to keep track of interstate and global commerce. However, it’s unintended consequences become a huge burden to our local family farmer. Shouldn’t there be an exemption for local and regional movement of livestock from farmer to consumer? After all, this is easy to track. For example, take the cow share program for distributing raw milk. The dairyman is required to keep on file a copy of every consumer’s contact information: the tracking system is already in place.

On all of our behalf, the Farmer to Consumer Legal Defense Fund has sued the USDA in opposition to NAIS. The Raw Milk Association of Colorado has joined this fight, as have many grass roots consumer advocacy organizations. Trust me folks: NAIS is bogus regulation, an unnecessary invasion of our privacy, a substantial burden on the small farmer, and a complete waste of taxpayer money!

For more information, visit these links:
- Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
- Livestock Tracing Bill Could Be End of Family Farms, Ranches - a recent opinion article from the Washington Examiner

Buena Vista hosts CSA Conference

2009-02-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

By: Sterling Quinton

The 20th century advent of industrialized agriculture, commonly known as the Green Revolution, did not bode well for localized farming or those practicing its art. From an apex of 6.8 million practitioners in 1935, which accounted for one third of the jobs in America, small-scale farmers became such a diminished minority that by 1993 the United States Census Bureau announced that it would "no longer count the number of Americans who live on farms."

With nearly a decade of the 21st century behind us, that historical trend is changing in a big way. According to a recent New York Times article, between 2005 and 2007, small scale farmers increased by almost 90,000 individuals. Buena Vista has shared in some of that growth and now, via locally based Weathervane Farm and the Dairy at Cottonwood Creek, has hosted a Community Supported Agriculture conference.

Guidestone was a major organizer of the event. Another organizer is the Central Colorado Food Shed Alliance or CCFA. The CCFA bills itself as a locally based organization working to revitalize the valley’s food industry. As a coop organization, it is responsible for running the Farmers’ Market in Salida and, according to one board member, it hopes to bring another market to Buena Vista in the near future.

Despite a rapid national and local growth of CSA, its exact purpose remains obscure or unknown to many. According to Seth Roberts, co-owner of Weathervane, the CSA model was created to, “Develop a direct connection between producer and consumer through a contractual basis. It really started with vegetable farmers providing seasonal produce to their membership. It has grown now to encompass many different agricultural products.” Essentially, CSA is a model wherein the consumer has a personal relationship with the people growing the food.

On a seasonably cold but sunny February 15, twenty-two attendees from the south central part of the state gathered around the crusty earth of Weathervane’s winter-dormant gardens to make connections, drink coffee, and talk about the future of CSA and other forms of local food production.

Roberts, said the goal of the conference, “Is to get people together who are currently operating a CSA or want to, and to discuss challenges, opportunities, the future of the movement, and to prepare for a state-wide gathering in 2010.”

One farmer in attendance, Jerome Osentowski, traveled from Basalt, Colorado, to revel in the exchange of ideas and participate in the shaping of the future of CSA. Osentowski, a bespectacled 64 year old with slight build and academic air, is the owner of a CSA school.

“We started a 20 member CSA with 20 students and 10 farms involved and we are closing in on a permanent sight to house the school,” he said.

About why he felt the CSA model is important, Osentowski stated that, “The industrial system is a failed system. It’s crumbling. The manufactured food system is toxic. In all of our communities we only have two days supply of food. Any town in Colorado, especially in the winter, is susceptible.”

His claims demand attention but don’t be too quick to label him just another pessimist. Osentowski has put positive energy into creating a counterbalance to what he sees as a real problem in modern food production. “This is a way of building in food security,” he said. “With green houses and high tunnels we can become year round producers of our own food.”

In addition to his tools for season extension, like the greenhouse, Osentowski has surrounded his home with acreage of Permaculture. He says Permaculture is, “a designed system for development of sustainable permanent agriculture and other perennial systems.”

Others define it as a smart way to produce a lot of food without a lot of continuous labor. Besides the more typical fruits and vegetables, Osentowski’s approach has allowed him to grow relatively exotic foods like bananas, artichokes, passion fruit, pineapple, figs, guavas, and jujubes at his mountainous site.

Of course, food can be produced and a living made without building an off-the-grid Permaculture camp in the mountains or developing a CSA. According to the CCFA, which serves a “foodshed” encompassing a 100 mile radius emanating from Salida, Chaffee County and the surrounding areas have a lot of food producers growing and distributing their products in a variety of ways.

Some of those producers include: Javernick Family Farms, Landmark Beef, Simple Honey, TBD Farm and Cherry Orchard, Black Mountain Mushrooms, Haugen’s Mountain Grown Lamb, Gosar Ranch, Erin’s Organics, Green Earth Farm, and Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy. To see a fuller list of local vendors, readers can visit www.ccfa.coop.

Back at the conference, attendees took a tour of Weathervane and The Dairy, swapped solutions for common problems, discussed current and impending legal issues, as well as the difficulties and triumphs of competing in the bigger markets. In the late afternoon current farmers, people wishing to be farmers, and others who came simply because they support local food production, shook hands and said goodbye hoping to meet again at the 2010 sate-wide conference. As Osentowski prepared to leave, he reflected on the day’s conference and the future of his work, saying, “I think CSA is the most viable model out there and it continues to grow.”

Bananas in Nathrop? Anything Is Possible!

2009-02-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

By: Erin Oliver, Erin’s Geothermal Greenhouse in Nathrop, CO.

Restoring our local food shed is possible. We are lucky to live in this valley where productive farmland with water is still available. There is the potential to put these valuable lands into food production. Although our growing season is shorter then some, it is still possible to grow most crops and we even have micro climates within our valley where we can produce corn. Tony Madone has proven this on his Farm to Table site in Salida. There are countless home gardeners producing food for their family right in their backyards. We also have the unique resource of geothermal water which can heat greenhouses for year round production. This is especially wonderful for those heat loving crops we all love like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. If it is our desire to produce food in this valley, it is possible.

So, back to the banana.

I was inspired to buy this banana tree by Paul at The Crystal Shop in Salida, he had one years ago. Five years later, I have fruit on the tree and not just a few. It lives in my greenhouse here on Chalk Creek where it is kept warm with our 160 degree geothermal water. I continue to nurture it in hopes that the fruit will ripen into the sweetest bananas I have ever tasted. I’ll keep you posted.

This winter in the greenhouse has been very productive. Lots of sunshine means faster growth and an abundance of tender greens. We were able to keep some of the tomato and cucumber plants producing until Thanksgiving when we pulled them to prepare for the next crop. Although the tomato plant is a perennial, I find we have much better success with a fresh crop every year. We have planted a round of sugar snap peas to take advantage of the space before this year’s tomatoes are transplanted. Our starts table is heated with our geothermal water and is full with tomato, pepper and perennial flower starts. They are also happy with all of the sunshine and will be ready to transplant into the large containers in a few weeks. We may just break our earliest vine ripened tomato record this year! (April 20th is the date to beat) As the days get longer, we are gearing up for our spring starts sale and will have a variety of vegetable and flower starts available.

This is my favorite time of year. Watching the hundreds of starts grow and knowing that they will feed our community is very rewarding.

Starts Soil Recipe

2009-02-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

By: Erin Oliver, Erin’s Geothermal Greenhouse in Nathrop, CO.

This is a great time of year to prepare for the growing season. Plan your garden space. Get a soil test if you haven’t already, a small task that will bring huge rewards. Order your seed. One of my favorite places to order seed is a company called Fedco. Pleasant Avenue Nursery in Buena Vista also has vegetable and flower seed varieties available that grow well in our area.

Get a jump on the season by starting seeds inside. You’ll need a sunny window or a grow light, some start trays, soil and seed.

Starts Soil Recipe:
2 parts good garden soil or potting soil
1 part perlite or builder’s sand
1 part compost or peat moss
1 T. bonemeal per quart of mix
other amendments may be added

I’ve included the schedule that I follow for starts at my greenhouse. I use May 15th as our last spring frost date although that does vary from year to year. When you are ready to move the starts outside, create a cold frame to harden them off and allow them time to get used to the outside environment. Once planted, continue to cover your tender crops like tomatoes and squash with remay to protect them from a late spring frost.

Seeding Schedule:

6-8 weeks before the last frost date seed tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant and celery.

4 weeks before the last frost date seed lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards and chard.

3 weeks before the last frost date seed corn, cucumbers, melon, squash and spinach.

Vegetables like peas, carrots, beets, potatoes and other root crops prefer to be direct seeded once the danger of frost has passed.

Some of my favorite suggested readings:
Four- Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman
Solar Gardening by Leandre Poisson & Gretchen Vogel Poisson
How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons

Have fun, try new varieties and may your garden be bountiful!

Announcing: Regional CSA Conference

2009-01-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

By: David Lynch

A statewide initiative on community supported agriculture (CSA) is being launched to bring together CSA producers and other farmers who are interested in the CSA model. Four state regions have been pinpointed for regional gatherings and will be conducted this spring to begin drawing together the Colorado CSA network. Guidestone and the Colorado Food Shed Alliance are collaborating to organize an event to include producers from the Arkansas River Watershed and the San Luis Valley. This is an exciting opportunity to promote practice of local food production and stimulate farmers to pursue the CSA business model. These regional meetings are being held to define the topics that will shape an agenda for a larger statewide gathering anticipated in 2010. The following plan is now set for our regional CSA event:

Date: February 15, Sunday
Location: Weathervane Farm
Time: 10 am to 4 pm

The agenda will include an introductory circle to learn about the regional CSA operations; a survey will be conducted to summarize the features of the CSA movement in the region. A potluck lunch and tour of the farm will follow. Two significant discussions will fill out the rest of the day:

1. Challenges and rewards of the CSA model
2. Directions for the future CSA movement

This will be a time of sharing and building our CSA community. CSA producers have long valued the opportunity to talk of their experiences, gather mutual support and learn from one another.

Movie Review: Wall-E

2009-01-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Written by: Eric Belsey

One of the joys of living with housemates is that they often bring cultural products to one’s attention that otherwise would have been missed. This was my experience with the first Men in Black movie; I dismissed it out of hand as some big-budget Hollywood blockbuster with little redeeming value. Then someone said, no, you have to see it. And I was pleasantly surprised by its creative humor.

Wall-E has followed the same trajectory for me. I saw the previews, and thought, oh, the mouse over at Disney/Pixar has made a cute little massive budget animated film about a lonely robot. Luckily, Cait bought a copy of the DVD, and while holding down the fort around here during the holidays, I popped it in our player.

Wall-E is slick, aesthetically intense and well-crafted, yet the movie carries an overt pro-farming and anti-consumerist message. Without revealing too much, basically the movie follows current trends in consumption to their logical conclusion: the death of the Earth’s capacity to sustain life. Humanity is choking on garbage, and so a spaceship is launched to preserve humankind in space while robots clean up our mess. Hijinks ensue.

Pay attention to the music when the credits roll; that’s Peter Gabriel, singing a great tune he wrote for the movie called Down to Earth (available on iTunes!) which extols the virtues of returning to a life lived closely with Nature. While there are times, as with any movie, when doubt must be suspended, I highly recommend this film for all ages.

"Unto Us a Calf is Born"...

2008-12-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

By: Amy of Cottonwood Creek Dairy

On a chilly night of Dec. 18th, the newest member of our herd was born. Buenie,
as we've named her, is a Jersey heifer and will grow up to join our herd as a
milk cow. Buenie's mom, Annabelle, joined us from a farm in New Mexico and Buenie is her first calf. Because the night was so cold and Buenie was slow to get moving, she spent her first night by the heater in David's kitchen. Her belly is now full of warm, nutritious colostrum and we are helping her learn how to get her legs under her. Soon Buenie will be joining the other little ones outside and our cow share members will be enjoying the bounty of Annabelle's milk.

Bucking The Trend

2008-12-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

By David Lynch

As a recent resident farmer to the central Colorado mountain community, it has become painfully clear the challenges of preserving the region’s agricultural resources for local food production. How quickly have valuable agricultural lands given way to sprawling development and high-end resorts. Sadly, as one travels the scenic I-70 corridor, it becomes clear that the rural character of yesteryear has virtually disappeared; from Vail to Gypsum is not an active farm operation to be found. Oh yes, ranching remains a tradition in these high mountain valleys, but the possibility of local food production is no longer an option. The development of river and creek bottom areas for luxury homes has removed the very soils that might have served these communities as a local food source. Likewise, the conversion of the age old water rights for municipal use, once attached to these farms, has further minimized the agricultural opportunities.

The Upper Arkansas Valley is one such region that potentially faces the same fate. Second homes dot the landscape. Resale values of ranch and farm lands are soaring; clearly such property is unaffordable for agricultural enterprise. Even now, poorly planned development projects threaten to gobble up what few productive soils that remain.

So what of food security? Not only does it suggest access to food, but also food quality. For this the health conscious consumer seeks fresh, organic and locally grown food products. To somehow imagine that the industrial food system will forever serve our needs is to believe a petroleum-based agriculture will always remain abundant. Our greatest chance to ensure food security is to take stalk of our opportunity to foster a local food system. This requires having local farmers, growing local food for the local community.

How do we buck the trend toward commercialization of local agricultural resources? It’s a community wide responsibility! The future cannot be relegated to the landowner, nor can land use be given to the hand of the developer. Comprehensive land planning must include a public vision for local food production just as it must for recreational and open space values. Policy must be put in place that guarantees inclusive zoning; when land is set aside for development, it should protect a portion of land for food production. Tax incentives are necessary to encourage landowners and developers alike to preserve the agricultural heritage of a given property. Additionally, we must seek the means to make land tenure affordable; passing the stewardship of farm land to next generation farmers must preserve the equity of the existing farmer while retaining the affordability of land for the purposes of local food production.

There are a growing number of examples where collaborative efforts have successfully preserved CSA (community supported agriculture) projects. The Rodale Institute posts an encouraging story of one such effort. Read about it here.

This is an endeavor to be taken up by all: by landowners and farmers, by land planners and public officials, by land trusts and conservation groups, by lawmakers and politicians, by churches and schools and public institutions that have access to local lands. A sustainable future is in our hands.

A first ever national conference to focus on land access, tenure and stewardship will be held in our own backyard, June 10-11, Denver, Colorado. Visit the announcement at: www.farmlasts.org/conference.

Italian Sausage Lasagna

2008-12-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

Posted by: Allison A.

This lasagna recipe was inspired by a recent visit to Colorado Grown where Amy of Cottonwood Creek Dairy fame was selling freshly made ricotta cheese. The recipe has a surprising number of locally produced ingredients as well as a very elegant taste.

Fresh pasta:

2 cups whole wheat flour – Mountain Mama, San Luis Valley
2 eggs - Weathervane Farm

Measure and pour flour onto a clean work surface and create a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well and beat them lightly with a fork. Using your finger, stir the egg and gradually incorporate all of the flour into the mixture. The dough should be smooth and not too stiff. Have a spray bottle filled with water on hand if you need to add more moisture to the dough. Knead for about 10 minutes or until elastic. Wrap the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out ½ of dough on a lightly floured surface. Rotating the dough ¼ turn as you work, continue until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Once you get to this point, you will need to stretch the dough to your desired thickness. (See Joy of Cooking for a nice explanation of this process.) Cut the pasta into 4” wide lasagna strips and allow to dry for an hour before cooking.

For the sauce:

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, diced – Colorado Grown
3 cloves garlic, minced – Colorado Grown
1 lb. Italian sausage – Colorado Grown
handful of sliced mushrooms
1 qt. jar homemade marinara sauce

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion. Cook until browned, remove from skillet and set aside. Remove sausage from their casings and place in hot skillet. Add mushrooms. After the sausage is cooked, add the onion and marinara sauce. Heat throughout.

For the cheese:

1 lb. ricotta – Cottonwood Creek Dairy
2 eggs, slightly beaten – Weathervane Farm
2 cups chopped spinach – Erin’s Greenhouse
salt and pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste, leaving the mozzarella separate. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400˚.
Cook pasta in salted water until it is slightly underdone. Drain. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Layer the bottom with lasagna, half of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the sausage mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat. Top with remaining lasagna, sausage mixture, and mozzarella.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread Made From Scratch

2008-11-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

Posted by: Allison A.

This pumpkin loaf recipe uses less than half the normally called for sweetener in other loaves, but remains quite sweet to the taste. Thus, it will be a great snack bread to have around for all of your Thanksgiving house guests. The ingredients have already been adjusted the for baking at 8000ft.

From Pumpkin to Puree:

You’ll need 1 pie pumpkin (ideally left over from the Pumpkin Patch Festival or there may still be some available at Colorado Grown:) This will likely create enough puree to make two or three loaves or pies. Gut and peel the pumpkin. Cut into large chunks. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes, use a fork to test for softness. Place in a bowl and smash with a potato masher. Finally, place in a blender and puree until smooth.

Pumpkin Bread

1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
2 eggs – Weathervane Farm
¼ cup turbinado
¼ cup agave or honey
¼ organic canola oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt – Cottonwood Creek Dairy
1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350˚. Lightly grease a loaf pan.

Combine all dry ingredients except the turbinado in a medium bowl and whisk together. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, turbinado, agave, canola oil, yogurt, and pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Enjoy!

Guidestone Announces Public Meetings Set For Early 2009

2008-11-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

Posted by: Allison A.

November 17, 2008 - Guidestone, a non-profit organization that supports local agricultural resource preservation, the local food economy, and farm based education in the Upper Arkansas River Valley is planning two public meetings set for early next year, one in Salida and one in Buena Vista. Recent events in Buena Vista have caused a significant outpouring of support from all reaches of the community, for which we are very grateful. These upcoming meetings are intended to help inform the public as to how they can continue to support the efforts of Guidestone in the valley.

Part of Guidestone’s work is to support local farming businesses by linking land and water resources with qualified farmers. Guidestone’s foundational project is the collection of farms currently located at the Cottonwood Meadows property in Buena Vista. Due to the recent failure of the vote to annex the Meadows property into the Town of Buena Vista, the future of that location as a Guidestone project is now in question. At this point, it is likely that the farm businesses will remain on the property for the next growing season and will continue providing locally grown agricultural products to valley residents for that time.

Despite the failed vote, the farming businesses currently on the Meadows property, Weathervane Farm, Cottonwood Creek Dairy and Colorado Grown, remain dedicated to finding a permanent home in the Upper Arkansas River Valley and Guidestone remains dedicated to these farmers in finding that home. While not eliminating the possibility of a long-term arrangement on the Meadows property, Guidestone is now pursuing properties throughout the valley both as a potential relocation for these businesses and for other farming businesses.

Guidestone and the Farmers recognize and appreciate the tremendous support of local citizens. We look forward to continuing to involve the community in building and sustaining a vibrant local food economy.

For additional information, please visit www.guidestonecolorado.org.

Michael Pollan Ted Talk: The Omnivore's Next Dilemma

2008-11-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

Posted By: Allison A.

Protecting Our Soil From Development

2008-11-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Allison A.

To me there is not much mystery as to why communities were often established near sources of water and fertile soils. For early settlers it was only logical to place a stake in the ground in a location where a life of hard work could be slightly eased by the relative convenience of locally available resources for growing food. I often think about this when I spend time in the park in Buena Vista and consider the role that Cottonwood Creek and the Arkansas River played in the life blood of our forefathers.

Unfortunately, a culture spoiled by cheap oil and grocery stores that feed us produce from the far reaches of the earth have detached us from first hand knowledge and appreciation for the resources required to fuel our bodies on a daily basis. Thus, those same resources which were so highly valued by pioneers from the past are today most often valued for their development potential in the world of real estate. Communities all across the west, including our own, are under tremendous development pressure due to impending population growth. And, so long as that development continues to be unguided, it is likely that the trend of converting rich agricultural soils into backyards and driveways will only continue to consume this irreplaceable resource.

I find it interesting and informative to learn from what other communities in the west are doing to overcome these same challenges that we face here in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Here is a recent post on New West that we can certainly relate to. From Rooted In The Soil:

"Several factors make farm and ranchlands the most sought-after for these new developments. For starters, agricultural land is flat and well-drained, and hence is cheaper and easier to build upon.... Complex social and economic factors are at play too. Right now, agricultural lands are usually more affordable to developers than to farmers and ranchers. With development pressures pushing up land prices, new or expanding agriculturalists find it hard, if not impossible, to buy land and pay for it through agriculture, especially when economic returns are low."

The article offers several solutions as to how a community can work together more to encourage and incentivize development on less fertile lands while at the same time working to revitalize a local farming culture. Strategies listed are: mitigation ordinances, TRDs (transfer of development rights), a linking service to match land owners with producers, and incubator farms. Two of those strategies are akin to the work that Guidestone is doing here in our valley.

The author, Neva Hassanein, closes by stating:

"We cannot predict the future -- but we do know that people will have to eat and that food will be grown on soil. Our options are to protect our fertile soils here and now -- with all of us, not just farmers, supporting the process..."

Important food for thought, indeed.

Farmhands' Pumpkin Patch Festival a Success!

2008-10-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Allison A.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support our Farmhands education program by joining us at the Pumpkin Patch Festival. See you again next year!

Cottonwood Creek Dairy Featured In Gourmet Magazine

2008-10-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Gourmet Magazine recently featured an article entitled, The ABCs of the New CSAs. The author, Peter Andrey Smith, writes:

With a faltering economy, some say local foods are an investment opportunity with a tangible return—a share in both the risks and the bounty of farming, fishing, or running a restaurant.

Guidestone founder, David Lynch, was quoted in the article in reference to his cow-share program through Cottonwood Creek Dairy .

Check out the article here.