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Our Growers
Our growers are a very diverse group and no one soil health solution fits them all. They have all committed to improving their soil health in whatever way works best for their operation. We do NOT tell them how to do it. We are a grower-driven project, and our growers have centuries of farming experience between them. They are the best judges of what will improve their own soil’s health. They have told us repeatedly:
“The most useful information for improving soil health comes from other growers.”
Consequently, we have oriented our annual meetings and classes according to our growers’ guidance. Each year, our growers vote on the subject of the next year’s annual meeting. Local and regional growers are then recruited to present their experiences on the chosen subject. Our goal is to not only share locally-tested information, but also develop soil health leaders, recognized as such by their peers.
“The most useful information for improving soil health comes from other growers.”
Consequently, we have oriented our annual meetings and classes according to our growers’ guidance. Each year, our growers vote on the subject of the next year’s annual meeting. Local and regional growers are then recruited to present their experiences on the chosen subject. Our goal is to not only share locally-tested information, but also develop soil health leaders, recognized as such by their peers.
Dave Asbury
Dave Asbury grows organic alfalfa, corn, hay, mixed vegetables, pumpkins, wheat and industrial hemp for Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Farm and Full Circle Farms. He improves his soil with compost applications, cover crops and crop rotation. Dave is the 2023 Soiley Award winner for the commodity row-crop farmer with the highest soil health score.
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Wyatt Barnes
Wyatt Barnes and Amy Tisdale grow mixed vegetables and pasture grass at Red Wagon Farm outside Niwot. They have been improving their soil's health with intensive cover cropping of up to 3 cover crops a year. Wyatt is a 2022 Soiley Award Winner with 342 days out of the year in 3 different cover crops in one field
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Keith Bateman
Keith and Cory Bateman farm thousands of acres in Boulder County, growing corn, hay, alfalfa, wheat, small grains, mixed vegetables, cattle and hogs. They have been improving their soil's health by reducing tillage, applying manure, rotating crops and integrating livestock. Keith is the 2023 Soiley Award Winner for the field with the highest soil health score.
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Ailsa Bier
Ailsa Bier grows mixed vegetables and chickens at her Red Hen Farm. She uses chicken manure to improve her soil and increase its fertility.
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Elizabeth Black
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JD Burch
JD Burch grows corn, silage, small grains, wheat, pasture and alfalfa at Burch Farms outside Platteville. He is improving his soil with minimal tillage and manure applications.
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Angie Busby
Angie Busby and Pat grow vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers at Cal-Wood Education Center in Jamestown. They have been improving their soil with organic growing methods and vermiculture compost applications.
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Bob Condon
Bob Condon grows pumpkins and corn at Cottonwood Farm outside Lafayette. He improves his soil with manure applications and both early and late season cover crop mixes, terminated by roller crimping or mowing. Bob's goal is to find the right combination of covers which can be roller crimped to make a weed free bed for pumpkins. Bob is a 2022 Soiley Award Winner for the highest percent of fungi in his soil.
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Natalie & Jason Condon
Jason and Natalie Condon grow wheat, triticale, hay and corn on 400+ acres in East Boulder County They improve their soil through crop rotation, maximizing the days of living cover in their fields, and integrating livestock into their operation.
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Anne Cure
Anne Cure grows organic mixed vegetables, fruit, flowers, fowl and hogs at Cure Organic Farm outside Boulder. She is improving her soil with compost applications and by stringing together crops and cover crops for maximum days of living cover in her fields. Anne is a 2022 Soiley Award Winner for the largest compost applications to any field.
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Jerry DeBruyne
Jerry DeBruyne grows hay, pasture and cattle at Bar J Quarter Circle, his cow-calf operation outside Longmont. He sells his beef through Boulder Lamb, and improves his soil with compost/manure applications and managed grazing.
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John EllisJohn Ellis, chapter president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, grows hay, pumpkins, wheat and alfalfa at Farmer John's. He improves his soil by reducing tillage and increasing his days of living cover in a field.
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Ryan & Alexa EricsonRyan and Alexa Ericson operate the Wellfed Farmstead (formerly Raisin Roots Farm), supplying mixed organic vegetables to their CSA, farm stand and Farmers Market in Ft. Collins. They improve their soil with diverse crop rotations and compost applications. Ryan is the 2023 Soiley Award winner for the commercial vegetable operation with the highest soil organic matter.
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Rob FlemmingRob Flemming grows bent-grass greens and Kentucky bluegrass tees, roughs, and fairways at Saddleback Golf Course. He is improving the golf course's soil with regular aerification, sand top-dressing and applications of gypsum and organic acids to reduce pH.
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Rick HagemanRick Hageman grows hay, pasture and cattle at Caribou Ranch near Hygiene. He improves the ranch's soil with compost applications and managed grazing.
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Bill HowlandBill Howland grows grass hay and alfalfa at Ninemile Ranch outside Lafayette. He has been improving his soil with annual applications of wood chips to increase soil organic matter, and sulfur to lower pH. Bill is a 2023 Soiley Award Winner for the highest soil respiration.
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Jake Jacobs
Jake Jacobs grows a blue/rye-grass mix on tees, fairways, and rough, and a POA/bent-grass mix of 60/40 on greens at Flatirons Golf Course. He has been improving his soil with aeration and ample irrigation water.
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Sarah KellSarah Kell grows mixed vegetables and fruits at Growing Gardens in Boulder. She uses regenerative practices on the farm to improve soil including: cover cropping, reduced tillage, diversifying crops and fertility inputs, and keeping soil covered. Sarah is a 2021 Soiley Award Winner for the commercial vegetable grower with the highest soil health scores.
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Cameron Genter
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Lauren KolbThe City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department owns 38,000+ acres of forests, grasslands, wetlands and production agricultural lands in and around Boulder. They lease nearly 16,000 acres of this land for commercial agricultural use. The department makes considerable investments in fencing, irrigation infrastructure and compost applications to better incorporate the five principles of soil health on all of its properties.
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Larry LempkaLarry Lempka grows corn, hay, pasture, silage, small grains, sugar beets, wheat, tomatoes and cattle at Los Rios Farm near Berthoud. He has been improving his soil with cover crops, crop rotation and integrating livestock (cattle) into his rotations.
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Dan LiscoDan Lisco farms the 1200 acre Sombrero Farms, growing primarily alfalfa, grass and mix crop hay, and supplying forage crop feed to Rocky Mountain Equine and Sombrero Ranches. He has been improving his soil with cover crops, crop rotation, reduced tillage, compost/manure applications and integrating livestock (horses) into his rotations.
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Catherine Long GatesCatherine Long Gates and Dennis Gates operate Long's Iris Gardens, a third generation Centennial farm growing bearded iris. They have been improving their soil with cover cropping, manure applications and integrating livestock (goats) into their rotations. Catherine is the 2023 Soiley Award winner for the most tenacious cover-cropper of the year.
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Hunter LovinsHunter Lovins pastures horses on her dryland Nighthawk Ranch. She has been improving her soil with managed grazing and manure applications. Hunter is a 2020 Soiley Award Winner for the most varied microbial community and the highest ratio of fungi to bacteria.
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Gustavo LozadaGustavo Lozada operates Nature First Farm, a previous cattle-feed operation near Berthoud which he is restoring to native grassland and prairie habitat. He is improving his soil by minimizing soil disturbance and planting natives.
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Scott MillerScott Miller grows corn, pumpkins, small grains, wheat and cattle at Rock Creek Farm, a pumpkin and corn-maze agri-tourism operation. He improves his soil with crop rotation, minimal tillage, and integration of livestock (cattle) into his rotations.
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Michael Moss
Michael Moss operates the certified organic Kilt Farm, supplying mixed vegetables to a CSA, local restaurants and grocers. He improves his soil with compost teas/sprays, cover crops, fungal soil inoculations, and re-mineralization.
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Mike MunsonMike and Chris Munson own and operate Munson Farms, supplying sweet corn, fruit, mixed vegetables, flowers and pumpkins to the Munson Farm stand and Boulder Farmer's Market. They improve their soil with ample irrigation water, crop rotation and turning in plant residue.
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Dan MurphyDan Murphy grows hay and pasture for his cattle operation, Boulder Better Wagyu, located outside Longmont. He uses compost, manure, and wood chip applications, cover crops, and crop rotation to improve his pasture and soil.
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Todd OlanderTodd Olander, owner of Olander Farms and Root Shoot Malting, grows barley, wheat, corn, and rye for brewers and distillers. He practices crop rotation, plants cover crops, minimizes tilling, applies compost, and integrates livestock to improve soil health on his family's farms. Todd is a 2022 Soiley Award Winner for the large commercial grower who added the most organic matter to their field.
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Erik & Kacy Olson
The Olsons grow hay and pasture for cattle at their Farm at Bohn Lake. They are working to improve their soil's health in partnership with Rangeland Living Laboratories and Gramma Grass by providing key nutrients through rotational grazing and cover crop programs.
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Cody Douglas OreckCody Oreck operates Orchard House, a 108 year old organic apple orchard against Boulder's foothills. She improves her soil by integrating livestock (sheep and pigs) and experimenting with the organic techniques of Michael Phillips and John Kempf.
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Doug ParkerDoug Parker and Ginny Jordan operate Ginny's Farm, a dryland meadow of native grasses and forbes near Boulder. They have experimented with inter-seeding cover crops and applying compost to improve their soil's health.
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Mary & Bob RaynoldsMary and Bob Raynolds grow alfalfa, hay, goats and mixed vegetables on the Little Property Farm near Longmont. They improve their soil using biochar, no-till practices, compost/manure applications, and cover crops. The Raynolds are 2023 Soiley Award Winners for the highest soil organic matter.
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Travis RollinsLarimer County Natural Resources manages Larimer County's great outdoor places, including magnificent open spaces and water-based recreation areas, and fosters responsible land stewardship through weed management and healthy forest practices. The department promotes soil health on agricultural properties by implementing crop rotations and crop selection for improved soil health, by minimizing soil disturbance with practices that promote minimum turning of the soil, and by reducing soil erosion.
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Jeff Russell
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Joel Schaap
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John SchlagelJohn Schlagel operates Niwot Farms, raising alfalfa, corn, hay, silage, pasture and cattle. John improves his soil with minimal tillage, manure applications, aftermath grazing and nitrogen-fixing bacteria inoculations. John is a 2021 Soiley Award Winner for the commodity grower with the highest soil health score.
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Amanda & Brian ScottAmanda and Brian Scott grow mixed vegetables and fruit, fowl and hogs at the 63rd St Farm near Boulder. They improve their soil with compost/manure applications, cover crops and integrating livestock into their operation.
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Nick SekichNick Sekich operates Sekich Land & Livestock, growing alfalfa, corn, silage, wheat and cattle near Platteville. He improves his soil with reduced tillage and leaving plant residue on the soil's surface. Nick was a 2020 Soiley Award winner for the highest number of soil protozoa, which promote organic nitrogen cycling.
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John Martin
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Eric & Jill SkokanJill and Eric Skokan operate Black Cat Farm, where they grow mixed vegetables, wheat, small grains, sheep, hogs and fowl to supply their farm stand, CSA and restaurant. They improve their soil with livestock integration, aftermath grazing and crop rotation.
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Karel & Alice StarekKarel and Alice Starek operate the Golden Hoof near Boulder, selling beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, eggs and dairy products to their farm members. They improve their soil with key-line plowing, inter-seeding cover crops in pasture, managed rotational grazing, biological inoculations, and remineralization. Karel and Alice are 2021 Soiley Award Winners for pasture with the highest soil health score.
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Zach Thode
Zach Thode and his family grow hay, corn, alfalfa, wheat and cattle on his ranch near Livermore. He improves his soil with irrigation, inter-seeding cover crops, diverse plantings, crop rotation and integrating livestock into his rotations. Zach is a 2022 Soiley Award Winner for the most attempts and success with inter-seeding cover crops into pasture.
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Jules Van ThuyneJules Van Thuyne operates Van Thuyne Farms, growing alfalfa, pinto beans, corn, sugar beets, wheat and cattle on thousands of acres near Longmont. He improves his soil with reduced tillage, crop rotations, and inter-seeding cover crops.
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Mary VavrinaDan and Mary Vavrina grow grass, alfalfa, and sheep, selling lamb and wool at their Left Hand Wool Company. They improve their soil with compost applications, managed grazing, and pasture biodiversity.
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Tim VillardTim Villard grows organic mixed vegetables in Longmont at the Food Project Farm, a joint venture between the Longmont YMCA and Growing Gardens. He improves his soil with compost, cover crops and crop rotation.
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Gene & Jan WadeGene and Jan Wade operate Wade Farms, a cow/calf and hay business near Erie. They use the five Soil Health Principles, cover crops and rotational grazing of their livestock to improve the soil of the acreage they farm.
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Mimi YanusMimi Yanus operates Mimi's Garden, growing mixed vegetables, fruit and flowers near Boulder. She improves her soil with compost and manure applications, cover crops and mulching. Mimi is a 2021 Soiley Award Winner for the highest soil health score in the home garden category.
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Dan Yechout
Dan Yechout and Helen Gemmill raise grass fed beef on irrigated pasture at their 30-acre Bell Park Farm, using rotational grazing practices to build soil health. Proceeds from beef sales are donated to the local chapter of SOIL, which provides 0% loans to local farmers, ranchers, and other businesses supporting the local food system.
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