Upcoming Events
Valley Roots Food Hub Fresh Box Sign-ups Launch
Valley Roots Food Hub Fresh Box signups launch April 1st!
This year, enjoy 20 weeks of Colorado’s finest, all grown by local farmers. Supporting your local economy makes a real impact — did you know agriculture is the second leading economic driver in our state, generating $47 billion?
No water, no agriculture. No agriculture, no food. No food, no life.
Last year, Valley Roots partnered with 188 producers to deliver the best to their communities. Fresh Box offers flexible payment options this season, plus add-ons for proteins, cheese, and eggs. Register an account below, and don’t forget to join the Valley Roots Food Hub mailer for updates and specials. Eating local has never been easier.
Visit their website to sign-up now: https://valleyroots.localfoodmarketplace.com/
April 2026 Volunteer Workday & Arbor Day Tree Planting Event
Join the Rio Grande Farm Park for our April 2026 volunteer workday on Saturday, April 25th from 8 AM to 12 PM. We will be celebrating Arbor Day by planting twenty new ornamental trees around the park, thanks to a grant we received from Colorado Tree Coalition. Food and coffee will be provided, as always. Bring work gloves if you have them!
Oregon Farm Corps Bookkeeping Basics Webinar
Strong farms need strong financial systems for many reasons – filing taxes, applying for loans/grants, budgeting, and making business decisions, to name a few. The world of farm finances begins with good financial data points.
Learn how to set up what we like to call an MVP (minimum viable product) bookkeeping system (using Quickbooks online), and how every farm can use a bookkeeping system to level up their business. Approachable to the numbers-shy with practical takeaway knowledge. No prior experience with financials required!
Do you need language assistance? Request interpretation services during registration or contact us at info@oregonfarmcorps.org.
Solicite servicios de interpretación durante el registro o contáctenos en info@oregonfarmcorps.org.
Register and learn more here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/bookkeeping-basics-build-your-mvp-bookkeeping-system
RGFP Greenhouse Open for Indoor Seeding & Seed-Starting Workshop on March 28th
On Saturday March 28th, the Rio Grande Farm Park’s greenhouse will be open to commercial and non-commercial farmers to begin starting their indoor seeds for the 2026 growing season! To reserve one shelf for one month, it is $15. Farmers may reserve shelf space for up to two months (April and May), with all seedlings required to be out of the building by June 1st. The shelf number limit per person will be dependent on interest and will be decided closer to the event. One shelf holds about 3 seed trays.
Farm Park staff will water seedlings as needed for as long as they are in the greenhouse and will notify farmers when it is necessary for them to come to the greenhouse in-person for seedling thinning or if there are any issues with their baby plants. Additionally, Farm Park staff members will help community farmers harden off their seedlings when planting time approaches in April and May. Typically, this looks like constructing an outdoor enclosure of hay bales in which the seedlings can gradually adjust to outdoor temperatures and strengthen their stems (for 7 - 10 days) before going into the ground.
Farm Park staff and volunteers will be hosting a seed-starting workshop during the morning of the 28th (time still TBD) for beginner farmers to learn more about seeding, transplanting, and other useful pre-season information. All individuals need to bring their own potting soil, seed trays and/ or pots, and seeds.
If you are interested in starting seeds in the greenhouse and/ or want to attend the seed-starting workshop on March 28th, please fill out this interest form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_e_WGPmPMAlJjzACNzlg6F2Bm-Hs9kWht3-GLIqxQEEo3LQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor
March 2026 Volunteer Workday
On Saturday, March 28, in addition to our greenhouse seed-starting workshop, the Rio Grande Farm Park will also host our March ‘26 volunteer workday from 8 AM to 11 AM. Work projects include preparing the flower beds near the education center and children's garden area with top soil, weed-eating the nature trails around the park, digging up sod for a future landscaping project, moving old tree limbs, cleaning ditches, constructing a bike repair station, and trimming trees. Please bring work gloves if you have them and dress appropriately for the weather! Coffee and breakfast will be provided.
2026 Sun Soil Water Summit in Pueblo, CO
Sun Soil Water is a showcase of what can happen when a community gathers around its shared love of food, learning, and local entrepreneurship. Whether you’re a foodie, a grower, an academic, or just someone who loves being part of something real, Sun Soil Water Summit can feed both your stomach and your spirit.
Check out the event’s website for more information and to order tickets: https://pueblofoodproject.org/sunsoilwater/
CSU Colorado Poultry Producers Class
Wondering what you need for small-scale chicken production? Unsure what feed is best, what coops work well, what a chicken first aid kit should have, and more? Then come join this great class! Includes lunch and childcare. Cost is $20.
Location: Ski-Hi Complex (2335 Sherman Ave Monte Vista, Colorado 81144)
2026 Congreso de Acequias in San Luis, CO
An event celebrating land, water, and community at Centennial School in San Luis (14644 CO-159, San Luis, CO 81152). There will be free lunch, refreshments, and door prizes as well as speaker presentations and a local field visit.
For more information, contact sangredecristoacequia@gmail.com, (719) 289-7332, or visit www.coloradoacequias.org.
Agrisummit in Salida, Colorado
Our sustainable agriculture sister organization Guidestone is hosting Colorado's 11th Annual AgriSummit on March 5th and 6th in Salida, Colorado. The gathering will bring together agricultural producers, food enthusiasts, and community members for farm and ranch tours, a film screening, educational sessions, networking, a community open house, seed swap, and a happy hour. It starts at 9:00 AM on Thursday and ends on Friday at 7:00 PM at 220 W Sackett Avenue Salida, CO . See the website link below for more details about scheduling and registration.
This year's theme is “Restoring Relations: Rooting Down and Reaching Out”, highlighting the many deep-rooted and widespread relationships at the heart of local food systems. Scholarships and Spanish language interpretation services are available upon request. If you are a commercial, community member, or family farmer from the Rio Grande Farm Park interested in attending, please contact Oona (oona@riograndefarmpark.org) for more information.
February 2026 Volunteer Workday
Join us at the Rio Grande Farm Park for our February 2026 volunteer workday on Saturday, February 28th from 9 AM to 12 PM. Projects include cleaning the ditches around the park, moving logs in the children’s garden area, building trellises for our summer tomatoes, and prepping the trees in the orchard for springtime (mainly apple maggot prevention). Breakfast and coffee will be provided. Please dress in accordance with the weather and bring work gloves, hats, and gravel rakes if you have them!
Southern Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference in Monte Vista, CO
From February 3rd to 5th, the 44th annual Southern Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference will be happening in Monte Vista Colorado. The event is organized by the SLV’s Colorado State University Extension. Speakers will present on SLV relevant topics such as agritourism, hydrology, graze management, rye, and potato farming. It will also host a trade show. More detailed information on scheduling and registration can be found on the conference’s website. If you are a Rio Grande Farm Park commercial or community member/ family farmer and interested in attending, reach out to Oona (oona@riograndefarmpark.org) to learn more information.
Address: Ski Hi Complex (2389-2499 Sherman Ave. Monte Vista, CO 81144)
Contact information: (719) 852-7381
January 2026 Volunteer Workday
Volunteer with us on Saturday, January 31st to construct wooden footbridges across the Farm Park’s irrigation ditches so that farmers and visitors can more easily access trails and growing areas! Food, coffee, and tools will be provided. Workday begins at 10 AM and ends around 12 PM. Bring work gloves if you have them and dress for warmth.
Roots of Renewal Conference in Montrose, CO
On January 23 and 24, farmers and agriculture professionals from around Colorado will attend the Roots of Renewal Conference in Montrose, Colorado (previously known as the “Western CO Soil Health, Food, and Forum”). The conference attendees will view various presentations about regionally-specific regenerative crop and livestock production, soil health, marketing and financial management, and labor/ water issues while connecting with others in the field. If you are a Rio Grande Farm Park commercial farmer interested in attending, contact Oona (oona@riograndefarmpark.org) about available scholarships (for tickets and lodging). Otherwise, tickets can be purchased on the event’s website, where additional information about registration, scheduling, and speakers can be found.
The conference will take place at the Montrose Pavilion (1800 E. Pavilion Pl. Montrose, CO). Further contact information for conference organizers: foodfarmforum@gmail.com or (970) 249-0705.
December ‘25 Volunteer Workday CANCELLED
Attention to all RGFP volunteer workday participants: there will not be a December workday on the 27th this year. Stay warm, enjoy the holiday season, and join us for our next volunteer workday in January of 2026!
Greenhouse CLOSED Friday, 12-19
Come back next week to get fresh, locally-grown veggies from the RGFP greenhouse!
Food Preservation Workshop Series - Day 2
Learn how to effectively preserve the abundance of Fall harvests -
Join us for a two-part Food Preservation Workshop series!
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Aprenda cómo preservar eficazmente la abundancia de las cosechas de otoño.
¡Únase a nosotros para una serie de talleres de conservación de alimentos de dos partes!
November Workday
Join us to prepare the Farm Park before wintertime.
We will finish adding gravel to the area around the Education Center, as well as adding some much needed playground mulch to the area surrounding the zipline.
We will provide coffee and some light snacks for all who attend.
Please wear close-toed shoes, and bring work gloves if you have any.
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Únase a nosotros para preparar el Farm Park antes del invierno.
Terminaremos de agregar grava al área alrededor del Centro Educativo, así como también agregaremos mantillo muy necesario para el área de juegos infantiles al área que rodea la tirolesa.
Proporcionaremos café y algunos aperitivos para todos los asistentes.
Utilice zapatos cerrados y traiga guantes de trabajo si tiene alguno.
Check out more local events happening with some of our community partners!