BFRDP Projects

This project innovated beginning producer education through collaboration between the Colorado Office of Tourism, the Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union, Guidestone Colorado and three regional food hubs in remote and under-served southern Colorado. Colorado's tourism and agriculture leaders understood that successful agritourism enterprises and viable farms are intertwined-and through this project developed a coordinated education and mentorship program that addressed emerging market opportunities and identified training needs for beginning producers. By including food hubs, this project built linkages between producers and consumers that strengthened food hubs and the very markets we prepared producers to enter.

The goals of this project were to 1) improve the chances of success of new farmers and 2) enhance existing operations of beginning producers by a) challenging them to create a realistic vision, skills/needs assessment, and plan for next steps for their operation; b) preparing them to enter two promising emerging markets: agritourism and wholesale markets via food hubs; c) strengthening CHAMP, Colorado's agritourism mentorship program; d) strengthening ongoing coaching; d) developing a lasting support network; and d) increasing the viability of existing food hubs. The project entailed four main integrated activities: 1) Farm Vision Courses, 2) Follow-up Coaching, 3) Scaling-up Workshops, and an 4) Agritourism Mentorship Program.