Displaying 100 of 250 results found.
Community Agriculture Alliance: Wildfire risk reduction — critical watersheds and community assets
Routt County has been blessed with a relatively wet spring this year, the valley is a lush green and the threat of wildfire seems remote. Recent smoke from fires in New Mexico reminded us that...
Published: June 21, 2022
The environmental disaster happening in Routt County
Maybe you’ve heard, but in the event you haven’t, you should know that thousands of acres in Routt County are being damaged this week by people who mean well, but don’t understand the damage they...
Published: June 28, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Conservation and collaboration with community-based natural resource management
For the past 80 years, the Routt County Conservation District (RCCD) has worked hand-in-hand with hard-working families and private landowners to conserve and protect Routt County’s natural resources including soil, water, air and wildlife. RCCD...
Published: June 16, 2022
SBT GRVL backs Routt County nonprofit groups
Billed as a world-class gravel race on some of earth’s greatest gravel roads, SBT GRVL takes pride in giving back too. The annual bike race on gravel roads will return to Steamboat Springs on Aug....
Published: June 13, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Use water wisely
Even with our recent moisture, I’m sure that you have noticed that rain and snow in the Yampa Valley have been trending in the wrong direction for the last two decades.
Published: June 2, 2022
(Re)inventing quality at Elkhead Creek Ranch
If you’ve ever tried Wagyu beef, you know it’s special. Known for its incredible marbling and rich flavor, its tenderness and butter-like texture, it’s difficult to forget the uniqueness of this beef.
Published: June 8, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Back to basics — Natural engineering for forest health
Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about water scarcity and wildfire surplus.
Published: May 24, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: FFA chapters in Hayden, Soroco have much to be proud of this year
As the school year comes to an end, the Hayden and South Routt School Districts have accomplished many milestones through their RISE grant efforts.
Published: May 20, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Yampa River Fund is an innovative solution to address a drying Colorado River Basin
The Colorado River provides drinking water for more than 40 million people, hydroelectric power to meet the needs of over 7 million people and water for 30 tribal nations.
Published: May 12, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Routt County Noxious Weed Days
Living in Routt County, chances are you have come across noxious weeds on your property, your neighbor’s property or on surrounding public lands.
Published: May 4, 2022
Grants help local farmers harvest for food assistance programs
Having fresh, local produce and foods available at the farmers market and on menus at local restaurants is wonderful for the community, but not all local consumers can afford those options.
Published: April 30, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council to hold third annual Wildfire Mitigation Conference
The 2021 wildfire season was another record breaker for Colorado with a much longer fire season and the most destructive fire in Colorado history taking place last December in Boulder — the Marshall fire.
Published: April 26, 2022
Roubaix, Ranch Rally start Steamboat’s gravel race season, focus on minimizing impact on town
If gravel riding was a religion, Steamboat Springs could be the mecca.
Published: April 29, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Micro loans are available for local ag projects
Community Agriculture Alliance has been working to promote and support local agriculture in the Yampa Valley since 1999.
Published: April 19, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Collaborating for agriculture and water
Since 1988, River Network has been at the forefront of expanding national interest in protecting the waters of our country, encouraging diversity in the environmental movement, and helping engaged community members and local organizations take…
Published: April 12, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Agriculture and wildlife
Fortunately, in Colorado, we have a diverse array of public and private lands intermixed across the landscape. Deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, black bear, mountain lion, numerous small mammals along with birds of all shapes and...
Published: August 31, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Sustainable beef
Today, many of us are thinking about ways to make our lifestyle as sustainable as possible. What does it mean to be sustainable when the subject is beef and raising cattle? Can the ranching industry,...
Published: November 8, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Preparing for fall
In the Yampa Valley, the changing of the leaves and first frosts signal the time for all agriculture producers to prepare for winter. For the traditional or production agriculturists, this means taking stock of all that...
Published: October 4, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Thank a tree
The next time you fill your glass with crystal clean, clear water, thank a tree. Seriously, big bear hug even, bark and all, because that tree is playing an incredibly important role in providing you with...
Published: May 3, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Preparing for drought
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Although it is only February and the snow is still falling outside, drought is already weighing heavy on everyone’s mind. Agricultural producers have undoubtedly started planning for the potential of yet another…
Published: February 23, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Down in the valley
Recognized throughout Colorado by residents and visitors alike, the view from Rabbit Ears Pass of the valley floor south of Steamboat Springs is routinely valued as one of the most scenic vistas in the state.
Published: February 11, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Eating seasonal
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — As the leaves begin to turn, and we welcome autumn to our valley, we see a transition in food. After a summer of peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers, we look to warm up with...
Published: October 1, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: New normal?
Among all of the lessons we’ve learned in 2020, residents of the Yampa Valley are also being reminded of the importance of water in our communities. While things may have looked hopeful back in June, this...
Published: September 9, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Locally sourced
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Handmade bicycles and local agriculture have more in common than you might think. The Moots Colorado Ranch Rally is celebrating the fifth edition of this 50-mile fundraising event Saturday, June 16 with...
Published: June 14, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: It takes a village
We are starting to see cooler nights and leaves hinting at signs of fall, but let’s not forget what we all experienced this summer. We’ve been talking about it for months now, but unprecedented drought…
Published: September 14, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Availability of water
The availability of water is easily taken for granted. For most of us, we simply turn on a tap in our homes and water is there. But it is critical to our lives, and as…
Published: November 23, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Seasonal eating
It’s almost November, and we’ve already seen the first snowfall and hard frost of the fall, meaning no more outdoor tomatoes, peas or lettuce from our high-country farms. There are, however, numerous crops that are...
Published: October 25, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: River planning
The key to river planning is collaboration, and the Yampa River Basin is doing just that. There are water users everywhere — agriculture diverting water to grow food and raise animals, municipalities securing drinking water...
Published: June 30, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Managing property for wildlife, agriculture
As landowners many of you know, your land is not only your way of life but also the home to wildlife that inhabit that land. Is there a way you can manage your property to maintain...
Published: September 1, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: The President’s agricultural policy
On Wednesday, this newspaper published an article titled “Trump takes victory lap on taxes with rural US”. The actual article referenced Trump’s speech to the American Farm Bureau’s annual convention, even though the headline was...
Published: January 11, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Roundtable reaches out to community
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable is one of nine basin roundtables in Colorado established to address the ever-increasing water challenges facing our state. As part of its mission and to meet the Colorado...
Published: October 22, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: The home ignition zone
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The smoke plume of the Middle Fork Fire has reminded us all that the work to continue reducing the fire risk in our community is never done. When thinking about what actions...
Published: September 22, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: The Future Farmers of America
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Do you know what FFA is? Founded in 1928, Future Farmers of America is a youth organization promoting and supporting agricultural education and leadership. Did you know Soroco High School has a thriving...
Published: October 8, 2019
Community Agricultural Alliance: Personal Water Conservation
The dry summer of 2018 alarmed many people in Northwest Colorado. Thousands of acres burned in areas all around, as fire crews gathered to fight and suppress fires. Kremmling area ranchers were evacuated several times...
Published: December 20, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Soroco FFA thriving
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted industry, business and our daily lives. Agriculture, however, has not stopped. Livestock still requires feed, plants must have water and fences must be mended. Soroco High School Future Farmers of...
Published: October 8, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Talking drought for 2021
Is it too early to start talking about the drought of 2021? No.
Published: February 16, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Fencing with wildlife in mind
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Robert Frost wrote in “Mending Wall” that “good fences make good neighbors.” Whether those neighbors are our fellow landowners, livestock, wildlife and even passersby, there is no doubt that fencing is needed…
Published: December 8, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Farmers, ranchers grow communities
Who knew that an 1899 edition of Farmer’s Almanac would play an important role in the legacy of what is now one of the Centennial Ranches here in the Yampa Valley? By 1907, Stanko had...
Published: November 9, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: Meeting demand for water
To meet increasing demand for water in Colorado and deal with the ongoing drought, we need to take advantage of every opportunity to increase water storage. One possibility with existing reservoirs is to rehabilitate dams…
Published: November 9, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: What is Reg 85?
In 2012, the state of Colorado passed Regulation 85, or Reg 85, which dealt with point source and nonpoint source water contaminants. Point sources, like wastewater treatment plants, were hit with strict measures for managing...
Published: August 18, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Eating like a Yampavore
Buying local food is easier than you’d think. Routt County has more opportunities to buy local food than some of us may realize. Whether you’re looking for local eggs, meat, seasonal vegetables or other products,...
Published: June 22, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Connecting on a personal level
Usually, the fall months bring celebratory planning for the Community Agriculture Alliance, as this is when we normally have our annual Farm-to-Table dinner fundraiser at Harwigs. This year, we scaled back, brought in technology and...
Published: October 13, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Be realistic about today
The past 18 months have been trying on every level for all of us. And the past six months have been especially difficult for those of us who make a living farming and ranching. While…
Published: August 31, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: History is written in the woods
Many Septembers ago, I walked an old U.S. Forest Service road with my mom. I was in sensory heaven. I took in the sounds of golden aspen leaves spiraling to the ground, the earthy smell...
Published: August 25, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Minding your bees
Most of the time when people think about Colorado Parks and Wildlife, they think about the big critters — elk, deer, moose, bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions and maybe fish. They don’t give a lot...
Published: June 2, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Spring has sprung
Trees budding, birds chirping and newborn calves running in pastures are sure signs that winter will, indeed, give way to the warmer days of spring and summer. For water managers, the onset of spring is...
Published: May 20, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Stories of the Brown Ranch
The 2012 Ag Census says there are almost 800 farms and ranches in Routt County. Did you know that 10 of them have been owned by the same family for more than 100 years? These...
Published: March 4, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Count your blessings
Thanksgiving is just days away. It is an American holiday, one that celebrates family and food. And, of course, our blessings. We are blessed that America is home to thousands of families that make their...
Published: November 12, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: The climate is in our hands
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — With the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in October and the National Climate Assessment in November, it’s been a deluge of depressing information on the impacts of climate...
Published: December 27, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Spring weed management
My weed management column has in the past discussed the legal and stewardship responsibilities for all land owners and managers to control their noxious weeds. In this column, I will present weed control techniques for...
Published: May 17, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Are you ready for a wildfire?
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The question is not if there will be wildfire activity this year, but when and where it will occur. Yes, public lands will probably make up the majority of land burned as…
Published: April 20, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Land stewardship 101
Many of you reading this article are fortunate to get to call Routt County home. Clearly after this year, word has gotten out, and we have seen an influx of new folks lucky enough to…
Published: July 13, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Rules for rural riding
This time of year is perfect for cruising many miles of gravel county roads in the Yampa Valley — the sun is out, the greater Sandhill cranes are crooning that distinct song, and newborn calves…
Published: June 8, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Good news in the neighborhood
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust has kicked off a busy summer of conservation. Operating under its newly formed Yampa Valley Conservation Partnership Program, the land trust has successfully conserved two local Routt County ranches...
Published: July 21, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: COVID considerations on the ranch
Spring is when our local ranchers are typically self-quarantined only because they are busy feeding, calving and fixing fence. This year, however, staying home and away from others is important to avoid exposing yourself and...
Published: April 28, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Routt County Extension
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — As a Land Grant University, Colorado State University offers community programming through CSU Extension to Routt County residents. Several programming areas are covered by the office, and a few of the programs...
Published: October 30, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: Common ground on water
Unless you’ve been avoiding the national news in recent months, you are well-aware of the ongoing drought gripping the Colorado River basin.
Published: November 2, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: What is a ‘call on the river’?
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — While there still may be snow falling, it is always a good time to be thinking ahead to spring and summer water issues. Extreme soil moisture deficits and below average snowpack will…
Published: March 9, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Improving forest resiliency
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — It is winter in Colorado, and people are still talking about wildfire. The 2020 fire season was long and intense. The state’s three largest wildfires, Cameron Peak, East Troublesome and Pine Gulch,…
Published: February 2, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Land stewardship course
Stewardship, by definition, is an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources. When applied to owning property and land in Routt County, it is critical that all landowners understand the importance of…
Published: September 7, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Forest health concerns
Forest health is a prominent topic in the news these days, here in Colorado and across the West. There is a general recognition that the condition of our forests influences fire behavior, water quality, air…
Published: October 5, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Supporting agriculture starts here with you
We are fortunate to live in a place where you can see agriculture all around you. Compared to the urban dweller, we are living up close and personal with where our food comes from. “Know…
Published: May 18, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: What is the State of the Yampa River?
It’s easy to take our water supply for granted. Most of us turn on the kitchen facet without thinking about it.
Published: March 15, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: A different Routt County Fair
HAYDEN — The Routt County Fair has been operating for 106 years and has only been canceled three times — in 1932, 1933 and 1934 — due to lack of funding during the Great Depression....
Published: August 4, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Social distancing — ranch style
I had to laugh when I saw “Wilson the border collie is struggling with the new work from home policy” on the internet. As I adapt to my job as a U.S. Forest Service rangeland...
Published: April 8, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Open lands forever – together
Open space has always been a defining feature of Routt County — one of its core attributes that is embedded in our identity, culture and outdoor lifestyle. It’s the first thing that greets us as...
Published: July 12, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Enriching experiences of being a volunteer
“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” — Marjorie Moore...
Published: July 5, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Harmony with nature’s cycles
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Sitting on the porch, I watch the winter storms blow in, bringing much of what we need to live a good life. That winter snow will become the spring melt that will…
Published: January 26, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Inspiring resiliency in uncertain times
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — In 2007, I was a sophomore in high school reading Henry David Thoreau’s famous book, “Walden.” Nearly every sentence of the book tugged at something inside me, and when I got to Thoreau’s...
Published: July 28, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Mitigation erosion on Elkhead Creek
Elkhead Creek is a large tributary to the Yampa River upstream from Craig, and its adjacent valley floor has been used for grazing and hay production since the late 19th century. Over the last several decades,...
Published: January 3, 2019
Community Agriculture Alliance: Moving history in Routt County
Moving buildings is a Routt County tradition. A close look into Routt County’s architectural history reveals a surprising number of structures that have been relocated in the past. They range from agricultural buildings and school...
Published: August 23, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Your dream comes with responsibility
Now, you did it … you finally own a piece of property in beautiful Routt County. Your dream of having a horse is about to come true. Maybe you are thinking about purchasing cattle, sheep...
Published: September 7, 2017
Community Agriculture Alliance: Drought resiliency and soil health
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Out of crisis often comes opportunity. Just as the 1930s Dust Bowl stimulated the creation and evolution of soil conservation, so may the recurrent drought being experienced strengthen efforts toward improving drought…
Published: February 9, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: The Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program
Colorado is currently experiencing a population boom with 5.8 million residents as of the 2020 census, and that means more development, more need for valuable resources, more people expanding into wild lands and lost habitat…
Published: June 1, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Ephemeral waters and wetlands protection
Currently, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is looking into partially assuming the role to oversee and issue dredge-and-fill permits instead of the federal government. We often refer to this as the 404…
Published: August 17, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Without agriculture, you’d be naked and hungry
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Yes, we are trying to get your attention with this headline and have some fun. Agriculture can easily be taken for granted. While our modern lives offer countless conveniences, where you can…
Published: March 2, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Buy local food, be a Yampavore
Buying local food is not only more important than ever, but it’s easier too. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a renewed interest in local food, a strange silver lining. With a disrupted global food system...
Published: July 15, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Come hell or low water
The 2018 water year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018, is shaping up to be a record-setter for low water. The optimist in me is just hoping to get through with...
Published: July 19, 2018
Community Agricultural Alliance: Agricultural lands in the Yampa Valley are a benefit to all
A two-lane highway paralleled the scenic river as it snaked through the long Western Slope valley. Verdant farmlands and grazing livestock backed by wild and towering mountains, rock cliffs and sage-covered hillsides hugged the river…
Published: December 22, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Weeds in hay — a cautionary tale
The Steamboat Pilot and Today has told the tale of leafy spurge and its impact on the Yampa Valley. Now spreading from an area just west of Hayden down to the Utah state line, this invasive...
Published: November 15, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Lost crop of Routt County
The next time you drive Colorado Highway 131 south from Yampa toward Toponas, imagine the valley covered in fields of neatly planted lettuce. It’s difficult to picture now but nearly 100 years ago, Egeria Park...
Published: October 19, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Seedstock operation in the cattle business
This article is about what it means to be a seedstock operation in the cattle business. Seedstock producers, also known as cattle breeders, are genetic suppliers that sell breeding bulls and heifers with specific genetic...
Published: October 20, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: A look back and look forward
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — We are often asked “How has agriculture been impacted by the past year?” Like most segments of the community, there is no one simple answer.
Published: January 12, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Food talk and what is a Yampavore?
What does farm to table mean to you? What is fresh, organic or natural food? How far away can food come from and still be local? All good questions and not easily answered in our...
Published: September 27, 2018
Community Agricultural Alliance: Preparing for a successful seasonal transition
With winter fun quickly coming to an end, many people are already thinking about spring time in the Rockies and everything associated with getting ready for a successful transition into spring and summer. For farmers...
Published: March 29, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: All I want for Christmas
This time of year so much is focused on that special gift one desires. For many, the simple truth is that what they desire is access to good, nutritious food. Food security and justice have always...
Published: December 13, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Respect rural Routt County
Why did the cow cross the road? Oh, so many silly jokes to make, but living — or visiting — a rural community, it is a valid question. What should you do when cows are on the...
Published: October 1, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: More than a bike race
SBT GRVL, coming up Aug. 15, is more than just a bike race. It is a weekend event that uses bicycles as a vehicle to express their purpose and values, such as fun, safety, credibility,…
Published: July 27, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Where would you be without Agriculture? Naked and Hungry
Editor’s note: Several events have been canceled, and we are hoping to reschedule for later this spring. Watch for more information and email updates. Yes, we are trying to get your attention with this headline. Agriculture...
Published: March 10, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: RISE grant helps students guide the future of agriculture
“I believe in the future of Agriculture” is the first sentence of the Future Farmers of America creed for the National FFA organization.
Published: January 6, 2022
Community Agriculture Alliance: Roundtable works to drive water policy
As we look out onto the white wonderland of the Yampa Valley, the recreationist sees opportunities of skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Others, like the agricultural community, see additional work of moving snow for feeding and…
Published: January 11, 2022
Community Agricultural Alliance: A wild edible feast in the Yampa Valley
I would like to be sweet anise. What a heady aroma I would cast, and my spunky anise flavor is tantalizing on the tongue. Or maybe a spicy wild onion. Mmm, that strong taste that...
Published: June 7, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Respect the Yampa and all its users
Here at Friends of the Yampa, we hope everyone is out enjoying the Yampa River, whichever way you prefer. Be it getting your ditches cleaned out and ready for irrigation, watching greater Sandhill cranes and…
Published: May 25, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Water management planning in the Yampa Valley
Earlier this summer, a crew of engineers spread out along the Bear, Elk and Yampa rivers to document the condition of structures used to divert water for municipal and agricultural users. They interviewed the owners...
Published: August 11, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Tree watering during drought conditions
Persistent drought conditions have parched the soil over most of Colorado, stressing even irrigated lawns and larger landscape trees. All of central and southern Colorado is currently experiencing some form of drought, in many places...
Published: June 23, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Connection between environmental education, water
The Yampatika team has had a busy and fun time of late in teaching programs to second- and third-graders about the different land forms in the Yampa Valley through Yampatika’s Environmental Literacy Program. A vital element...
Published: December 1, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: It’s calving season in Routt County
If you know a rancher, or if you’ve been out for a drive around the Yampa Valley lately, then you probably realize that it is calving season. Most mountain cow/calf operations manage their breeding season...
Published: April 12, 2018
Community Agriculture Alliance: Now is the time to visit the CAA Market
Seven-hundred and thirty-eight packages of bacon, 3,327 dozen eggs, 1,621 bags of salad mix and 1,458 pounds of ground beef — all local food sold at the CAA Market so far this year.
Published: September 21, 2021
Community Agriculture Alliance: Where would you be without agriculture? Naked and hungry
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Yes, it’s a funny tagline, but take a minute and really think about it. Everything we eat comes from agriculture. Most of our clothing, including shoes, coats, gloves and even down to those cozy...
Published: February 4, 2020
Community Agriculture Alliance: Keeping invaders off your land
In the wake of record property sales in our area, we are welcoming a new generation of property owners into Routt County who may be new to the area or managing acreage for the first…
Published: January 26, 2022