Kirvin Knox, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University, said selling non-traditional products is a statewide trend. At its root, the idea is to build a relationship with the consumer such that a cheap basket of strawberries from Chile is passed over for a berry that may be more expensive, but is grown locally. The idea is to promote the idea that I know the person who produces the product. There should be more interconnectivity between local farmers and consumers as a way of promoting healthy communities, environment and farms. The idea has offshoots beyond the tangible products.
Some ranches sell hunting safaris, camping and fishing opportunities.
In La Plata County, these rediscovered resources include flowers, vegetables, organic beef and lamb. The Colorado Farm Bureau and the Colorado Cattlemen s Association are combining efforts to get the word out soon through an Internet Web site. Mallow said cattle prices are up and the industry is as good as it has been the last four or five years, but most grain prices are down the last few years. In response, farmers are growing nontraditional crops such as safflower, vegetables and raspberries. The main thing farmers have to do is diversify and move into new areas.