We started our day at Ollin Farms with a greeting from Mark Guthridge, one of the owners and caretakers of Ollin Farms. Mark explained his family’s intergenerational journey to becoming a regenerative farm. He explained how regenerative farming actually builds soil by using compost, woodchips, mycelium, planting windbreaks, and smart grazing. He is not just farming plants and animals, but farming the microbes in the soil.
After that inspiring talk, the New Vista CAP students headed into the tomato patch armed with baskets to harvest cherry tomatoes. Harvesting together inspired lovely conversations about our memories of gardens and our love of plants. We marveled at the beauty, bounty, and colors of the tomatoes in our combined basket. We continued on to harvesting elderberries to be used in syrups and tinctures.
Our lunch was a feast of fruits and vegetables from Ollin Farms. We gathered around the table and had engaging conversations while we filled our bellies with the most delicious Cottonwood lunch ever. After lunch, we shook off the slump to play a big game of hide and seek. After that, some explored the creek and some whittled. We finished off the day by asking Rock, Stick, Raven. What Rocked? (the food) What is going to Stick with you? (learning about regenerative agriculture) And send a Raven to shout out someone or something (The Guthridges for welcoming us into this beautiful place.)
A big thanks to the funders and supporters that make the CAP class possible, including: Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado, Patagonia, PeyBack Foundation, Strear Family Foundation, Thorne Nature Experience, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program and the Xcel Energy Foundation.
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