Golden Delicious trees on the farm are at least 60 years old and still produce abundant tasty fruit.
About Our Organic Farm
Our
36 acre farm is on Rogers Mesa a few miles outside Hotchkiss, Colorado.
At Mesa Winds Farm we produce USDA Certified Organic peaches, apples,
grapes, vegetables and honey. Our certification is current and includes
all our crops.
We recognize that we are but a strand in the web of life. As a species with
the consciousness and capacity to modify the conditions that support the
earth, we are called to act in harmony with fundamental ecological principles.
We exercise the stewardship of our farm through
Sustainable agriculture principles
Organic farming practices
Natural resource conservation and renewable sources.
What is sustainable agriculture?
"Sustainable agriculture" was addressed by Congress in the 1990 "Farm Bill" ... Under that law, "the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
Our farm is a work in progress
We apply tried and true practices to meet our objectives. We also strive
to discover and introduce new and effective methods.
Current projects
plant habitat that supports beneficial insects
build bat houses in the apple orchard for coddling
moth control
provide habitat for songbirds and raptors to control
rodents and insects
experiment with various cover crops in our vineyards
and orchards to enhance moisture-retention, reduce erosion, and increase
soil nutrients.
We are working toward a balanced agroecology.
Efficient use of energy and water
Solar radiation is the only resource that is being added to spaceship earth. Everything else is either already here or relies on the sun’s energy.
Agricultural products convert this bounty into food to sustain us. At the farm, we are reducing our reliance on externally produced inputs. One of many current challenges is to connect directly with consumers and reduce the fuel requirement for transporting to market.
Finding realistic ways to harness the sun's energy in building design is a long-term passion for Wink. We are currently in the design phase of a next generation passive/active solar farmhouse. The goal is that our home, indeed the entire farm, produce as much energy as it consumes. The principles of a Zero Energy Home can be applied to the farm as a whole. This involves energy efficiency to reduce consumption, appropriate solar orientation and other design measures for passive (free) heating and cooling, plus active-solar panels for both domestic hot water and for direct production of electricity.
Water is a precious resource crucial to growing in this arid environment and it is in short supply. To utilize our irrigation water as efficiently as possible we are working with the Natural Resource Conservation Service to design and install a micro sprinkler system for all our crops.
Education
The traditional Three Es of Sustainability are: environment, economy, and social equity. The Fourth E is education. We envision our farm as a laboratory for learning, refining our ideas, and sharing them with our extended community.
In the North Fork Valley we are fortunate to be amid the largest concentration of organic farmers in the State. Through our participation in Valley Organic Growers Association we are part of a community of farmers who collaborate to expand the understanding and effectiveness of small scale farming.
We are evolving an internship program and have already hosted interns from Colorado College’s Environmental Science department who share welcomed energy, ideas, knowledge, and experience. We are initiating a proposal to formalize this relationship with CC and other institutions.
This website is a powerful tool for inquiry and for sharing what we learn. We hope you'll visit again! - W