This year’s Ag Appreciation Week scheduled for March 17-22 will include multiple events to promote the farming and ranching heritage in the Yampa Valley including local food specials at 13 restaurants, a movie screening at Library Hall, special pricing at Yampa Valley Foods, community breakfast, chicken butchery class and afternoon Ranch Rendezvous.

The annual weeklong celebration sponsored by the nonprofit Community Agriculture Alliance is hosted in recognition of National Agriculture Day.

The week kicks off with a free screening of the 44-minute documentary: “Legacy: Stories of Healing and Hope” and a panel discussion regarding rural mental health at 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, March 17 at Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs.

The film documents the beautiful and sometimes painful stories of a deep love for agriculture in Colorado. Throughout the film, the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the state’s Farm Bureau worked with experts statewide to create a glimpse into the lives and struggles of Colorado producers, highlighting tools available to support rural communities.

Ag Appreciation Week will feature 10% off locally produced foods from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 18 at Yampa Valley Foods, located at 11^th and Yampa streets in downtown Steamboat.

That evening, community members can join the Community Agriculture Alliance staff and board for a Token Tuesday social hour 4:30-6 p.m. at Mountain Tap Brewery.

The Ag Community Breakfast is set for 7:45-8:45 a.m. March 19 at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. The breakfast with local ingredients is prepared and served by Routt County Master Gardeners. The suggested donation is $10.

A Chicken Butchery Class with chef Kelsey Hebert using Hayden Fresh Farms chickens is set for 4-6 p.m. March 20 at Meatbar, 1009 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Steamboat. Tickets for the hands-on workshop are $125 and include wine tasting and recipes.

The public can get some hands-on interaction with and learn about a variety of local ranch animals, while listening to live music, during the Ranch Rendezvous 1-3 p.m. March 22 outside Yampa Valley Foods.

An Ag Appreciation Week Happy Hour and panel discussion of “A Cow’s Journey out of Routt County” is scheduled for 3-4 p.m. March 22 at Steamboat Social Club. Cocktails will be offered by Routt Distillery.

The full event schedule is online at CommunityAgAlliance.org.

As part of Ag Appreciation Week, leaders at Community Agriculture Alliance highlighted current efforts with school district culinary staff in Routt County to serve local beef for school lunches.

More than 300 pounds of beef will be donated by two local producers, Strawberry Park Ranch and Snowden Meats. The Community Agriculture Alliance will share information with students and families about the impact of local agriculture and the benefits of eating locally raised beef.

Research shows that locally grown food can be more nutritious due to freshness and minimal processing and that buying local food can have a positive socio-economic impact for local producers, according to the Community Agriculture Alliance.