Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) has recently published a 10-year strategic plan which lays out the organization’s ambitious goal of conserving 40,000-50,000 acres in the next 10 years. AVLT was the first land trust in Colorado and, in its 55 years, has helped conserve 69 square miles of land from De Beque to Aspen. The […]
agriculture
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Zimbabwean Eisenhower Fellow visits local ag innovators
Defining “permaculture” in his own words, Kudakwashe Manyanga said, “In my country, we have what we call ‘farming God’s way.’” On Basalt Mountain, at 7,200 feet, that “way” fills the very air. Red rock cliffs and clear blue skies dazzle the senses. Translucent, new-green leaves unfurl along slender chokecherry stems. Among the plums and apricots, […]
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Avian flu puts Western Slope on high alert
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) continues to monitor the expanding reach of the detrimental Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza. For domestic flocks, the disease carries a 90-100% mortality rate. Thus far, cases have been confirmed in Pitkin, Montrose and La Plata counties. The disease comes from migrating geese, ducks and other fowl that pass […]
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Sustainable Settings preps for phase three
News of Sustainable Settings selling its property came as a shock to many. The announcement’s proximity to April 1 had some wondering if it was a joke. After nearly two decades of building soil south of Carbondale, the biodynamic ranch has become a defining characteristic of the region. Soon, however, the land may inherit a […]
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Branching Out: Striving and stretching
Grunting, I doubled into the fence stretcher, pulling barb wire taut again. Mouth full of galvanized staples, I spit one out, both hands occupied. Didn’t know how others did it, so I did it my way and may have looked foolish. Working alone for days on end, I could care less. The work felt purposeful, […]
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Robotics meets farming in Silt
On tour with Spring Born Director of Marketing and Sales Danielle Davis, the building is permeated with the dank stench of nutrient-dense peat. The recently-built, 3.5-acre lettuce factory, located in Silt, will deliver year-round, fresh greens that have touched no human hands. “The first time the greens will be touched is in your kitchen,” boasts […]
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Davi Nikent "rebrands" keeping spirit
The Center for Human Flourishing, located at the Third Street Center, has spiraled into its identity much like a person, focusing its expression for the benefit of our community. The nonprofit derives its name from Dr. Elliott Dacher’s definitions of integral health, addressing the entirety of human experience: biological, psychospiritual, relational and cultural. Responsible for […]
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ACES redefines farm apprenticeships
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) at Rock Bottom Ranch (RBR) recently hosted a panel discussion, “So You Think You Want to Be a Farmer?” At a time when the world recognizes agriculture as the greatest contributor to the climate crisis, change in farming is critical. This panel showcased the experiences and takeaways of […]
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Seeds of change sown in Silt
On a hot summer afternoon, one of many with temperatures fixed above 100 degrees in Silt, six high school students worked diligently to complete a harvest before taking their lunch beneath a large cottonwood tree at the edge of Highwater Farm. “It’s the best summer job,” Youth Program Coordinator Anna Thomas assured The Sopris Sun. […]
