Notes from the Field: August 2024

For the last several years, Mad Agriculture has partnered with the Colorado University-Masters of Environment program to host a group of fellowship students to support our work and empower them to participate in regenerative agriculture. Fellowship class of 2024: Clara Gambrel, Catherine Morgan, Karis Moore, Ruby Zolot. An opportunity emerged with this year’s fellows to see first hand how our Mad Lands team works together with our partners with boots on the ground. So here are some Notes from the Field about our trip together to the western slope of Colorado!

Traveling from Boulder, we made our way across the great divide to the north fork of the Gunnison River, to Aquila Cellars property at Crane Mesa. Brandt Thibodeaux, the winemaker and land steward, who was recently featured in Mad Ag’s Journal 11, greeted us on site. During our visit, Brandt showed us some newly cultivated acres that had been converted to vegetables to help supply their restaurant, The Painted Pig,  with fresh ingredients. We also checked on some 2023 fall tree plantings that Jane Cavagnero, Mad Ag’s Chief Marketing Officer, and I helped plant last year. This farm has a really special place in my heart because it was the first farm to whom we awarded a Regenerative Catalyst Fund (RCF) grant. Checking on the project with Tanner Starbard, our Chief Operations and Financial Officer, who in his previous role as Director of Mad Lands, helped build and launch the RCF, was really special and rewarding for us both. “Ideas into action – amazing work Brandt!”

After settling in and setting up camp, we shared stories and of course tasted a bit of CO made natural wines in the winery and then shared a few songs around the campfire. The stars shone bright in the shadow of the Grand Mesa, and along with a moonlit sky, our souls were filled. The next day we even got to help with the morning peach harvest, which included eating our fair share of peaches too! We are so blessed to do the work we do and have much gratitude for Brandt and his team at Crane Mesa for their continuing stewardship of the vineyard, orchard, cropland and pasture.

We then traveled back to Carbondale for the Journal 11 event, having a wonderful evening with Jonnah Perkins, Mad Ag’s Director of Media, Robbie Vitrano, Mad Ag’s Board Chair, Sarah Jones, and our dear friend Brendon Davis, along with several other new and old friends. We again shared food and drink and community in celebration of the Journal and the regenerative community in the Gunnison, Roaring Fork and San Luis Valleys.

The next morning we traveled back over the McLure Pass. “Two hands on the wheel and eyes on the road”,  I had to remind myself while driving with precious cargo. With stunning views and cool fresh mountain air, the views of the Elk Range are nothing short of breathtaking.

As we arrived in Paonia we traveled to meet more farmers using regenerative systems and farming with organic practices to raise herbs, seeds, vegetables, fruits and cultivating perennial habitats across the land under their management. Truly inspiring!

This trip was such a rewarding experience for me to share some of the skills I have learned over the years with these extremely bright and capable CU-MENV students. As we made our way home we shared reflections, thoughts and personal stories of our own journeys, strengthening our friendships we have been building over the last semester.  We even took a moment to dip our toes in the Colorado River! It was really refreshing for an old hat like me to hear their reflections from the trip and to have them provide me with great feedback on how I can continue to improve upon our Lands’ services. It is so valuable for us all to continue to learn and share knowledge and wisdom, while in place and in real time. This is something that I cherish most about my work at Mad Ag and I am grateful for the opportunity and time we got to spend in the field together with our class of 2024 CU-MENV fellows.