September Mountain Memo – CB Land Trust

Partner Spotlight: Mountain Roots at Glacier Farm

Have you ever driven down Highway 135 and wondered what’s happening at the farm just north of CB South? That’s Glacier Farm at the conserved Niccoli Ranch, where the Crested Butte Land Trust supports Mountain Roots to grow food, build agricultural skills, and strengthen our local food system.

The partnership began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when CBLT collaborated with Mountain Roots for an agricultural lease to help those in need of food assistance and expand food production in the Gunnison Valley. What started with a 250-pound harvest in 2020 has grown into a thriving farm. Last season, Glacier Farm produced 2,300 pounds of food, most of which supported Mountain Roots’ Backyard Harvest program, providing 80 local households experiencing food insecurity with a free box of locally grown food each week.

Farming at 8,600 feet comes with challenges, but Glacier Farm’s high tunnel extends the growing season by nearly two months. This season brought an abundance of produce, including pumpkins and okra, with the help of more than 50 volunteers to bring the farm to life.

For Regenerative Farm Apprentice Hannah Franko, the growing volunteer community has been one of the season’s highlights: “Cultivating food alongside community is a powerful way to get folks to care about where their food comes from. They learn with us, empower each other, and can connect with the land in an incredibly unique way.”

Glacier Farm is a wonderful example of how conserved land can serve the community in meaningful ways, providing space to grow food, connect people to the land, and strengthen our local food system. We are proud to be part of this work with Mountain Roots and excited to see what continues to grow!

Stewardship: Caring for Land and Water

Caring for the land is at the heart of volunteering and land stewardship. Projects like the irrigation improvements at the Robinson Parcel show just how many ways conservation can make a difference.

Land stewardship is a community effort.

During a September 12 volunteer workday, volunteers installed approximately 700 feet of irrigation pipe and 372 control gates. This is part of CBLT’s effort to upgrade the irrigation system on the Robinson Parcel along the Rec Path between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. The project is converting an earthen ditch to a more efficient way of moving water, with approximately 1,250 feet of pipe. This project will help to conserve water, reduce labor, and sustain green, productive lands that support wildlife habitat, scenic views and our ranching heritage for generations to come.

Projects like this are a great reminder that conservation happens in many different ways, and that it takes a community to care for the land and water that make this valley so special.

A huge thank you to our partners at the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District for helping fund the project and High Country Conservation Advocates for helping bring volunteers together. We are also deeply grateful to everyone who came out, lent a hand, and brought their time and energy to the workday.

Want to learn more about why irrigation and water conservation are important? Check out CBLT’s video on this land stewardship project, created by CBLT’s Owen Juell, to learn more about the project and its benefits for working lands and wildlife habitat.

Thank you for helping us care for these special places and steward them for generations to come!

CBLT Week Success!

We just wrapped up an incredible week of events for CBLT Week!

CBLT Week brought our community together to explore, learn, volunteer, and connect with the landscape. We kicked off with a hike around Long Lake, where Executive Director Jake Jones shared the impact of conservation and Recreational Lands Coordinator Mars Charlebois highlighted the importance of stewardship. At Gunsight Bridge, Drew Kelly introduced participants to “birdwatching by ear,” while Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s Anna Markey shared stories of big game migration and tracking with local 2nd graders and adults.

Midweek, volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Glacier Farm, the conserved Niccoli Homestead where CBLT partners with Mountain Roots, to help harvest root vegetables, turn compost, and weed the rows. We also gathered at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum to celebrate the incredible partners throughout the Gunnison Valley who help expand the impact of conservation. The week continued with a closer look at forest health, as Colorado State Forester Mike Tarantino and CBLT Stewardship Director Jon Mugglestone shared their knowledge of mountain pine beetle and our local forests.

We closed the week by experiencing the landscape through art, with a plein air watercolor outing at Lower Loop (complete with a little rain!), followed by happy hour at the Redline Gallery during ArtWalk.

It was a wonderful experience, and we are grateful to everyone who joined us and embraced the many ways to connect with the land. A special thank you to our partners who shared their time and expertise, and to the volunteers who helped with setup and teardown, answered questions, and shared a smile!

We couldn’t do this work without you!

Last Chance to See Us this Fall

October 4th (Sunday) @ 9 AM | Farmers Market Booth
Stop by our booth at the Farmers Market to say hi and check out some great CBLT merch while enjoying the market!

Winter event schedule coming soon!