"Farmers are professional hopers."

-Kristin Kimball 

Conner Orchards is 25 acres of Colorado grown fruit, including cherries, peaches, apples, plums and apricots with more than 600 lavender plants. We are nestled just outside the town of Hotchkiss, between Paonia and Delta.  

Conner Orchards is run by Ed and Laurie Conner. Ed purchased the family property in 1999.   While at the Montrose Farmer's market he tossed an apple to Laurie.  Neither knew that in ancient Greece this was meant as a proposal by the man and an acceptance by the woman if she caught it.  Laurie did and now Ed manages the orchard while Laurie takes care of  the lavender.  

Our goal is to produce a quality product which to Ed means juice running down your chin when you bite into the peach and a unique lavender infused jam (low sugar of course) to Laurie.

1. In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
2. Add all of the chopped veggies, olives, capers and onion to the bowl and toss well to coat everything in the dressing. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve at room temperature or chilled.

"We only have one earth. Let's take care of it."

-Deb Haaland

Collin Loflin & Lauren Tinnes are the faces behind Great Plains Fungi! Our mission is to provide high quality, healthy food that benefits our community and our natural environment. We are a small part of a growing movement that aims to recover our once resilient and healthy food systems. Working together with other farmers, ranchers, and producers here on the plains of Colorado we hope to create a successful model for other communities around the world to emulate.

One of our main focuses is to provide high quality fresh Mushrooms on our farm. We do this by keeping a clean growing environment, harvesting fresh mushrooms every day, and using quality ingredients to ensure healthy growth. We guarantee our mushrooms will be a delicious and healthy addition to your diet. We make all of our products in house including substrate, agar, liquid culture, and grain spawn. Being able to control every step of the growing process allows us to ensure only the best products are being used and produced on our farm.

• Heat a large, cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat and add butter. Once melted, place peaches cut-side down in skillet. Do not move the pan! Cook for 4-5 minutes until the peaches are slightly caramelized. Remove peaches to a plate and increase heat to high. Add Anaheim chiles and sprinkle with salt. Sauté 4-5 minutes until soft and charred. Add peaches back in and give the pan a toss to marry the peaches and peppers. Sprinkle on goat cheese, cashews and honey. Remove from heat and serve straight from the cast-iron pan. Garnish with arugula or microgreens on top.

"Things which do not grow and change are dead things."

-Louise Erdrich

Four Wing is a small-scale, diversified seed and vegetable farm expanding off of a family subsistence garden in the heart of the San Luis Valley. This high and dry location makes for resilient seed crops and tasty, nutrient dense produce. The farm is managed by Kai Duby, an avid extreme climate gardener, who draws from his experiences on organic farms and small scale gardens.

Four Wing Farm is dedicated to building soil health as a foundation for crop vigor and, in turn, the promotion of human health. This is done primarily by utilizing the crops themselves as nutrient cyclers in tandem with soil biology. Instead of tillage, crops are rotated based on previous years accumulation of crop residue alongside applications of local, high quality compost. The farm is also completely human scale and the various tasks of farming are done by hand humbly and with more than a bit of joy. Four Wing is not certified organic but the farm does abide by commonly accepted organic standards.

• Combine the quinoa and stock and heat over medium-high until it boils. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until stock is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork.
• While the quinoa is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the corn kernels, and edamame beans, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the cooked quinoa, chopped tomato, paprika, salt, and pepper and store to combine. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with parsley. 6 servings.