– Grant helps Bureau tie together agriculture, archaeology –
In southwest Colorado’s Mesa Verde Country(R), agriculture has historically been a key piece of the cultural and economic fabric. Now, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the area is making that history its present and future.
Mesa Verde Country will use the $50,000 grant for its “Agricultural Adventures” program, designed to communicate the benefits and details of local producers to regional and national audiences.
“Agritourism is a popular term, and a fast-growing industry, but making it tangible and accessible to the public can be challenging,” explains Lynn Dyer, director of the Mesa Verde Country Visitor Information Bureau. “Our intent is to help people learn and experience agriculture through real, hands-on experiences. Thats agritourism.”
Key elements of the program include a new brochure and expansion of the Mesa Verde Country Web site (www.mesaverdecountry.com) to tie together the archaeology, agriculture and scenic attractions of the area. For example, how to incorporate the relationships between Mesa Verde National Park, a Navajo-Churro sheep ranch, a brewery and a ranch in the area’s historic McElmo Canyon. The site will expand to offer podcasts with local farmers and ranchers, real-time information on farmers markets and special events, as well as “how-to” presentations for aspiring farmers and gardeners.”
The “Agricultural Adventures” section of the Web site already makes it easy and fun to explore the region’s bounty. Newly added pages contain information on every form of local agriculture, says Dyer, ranging from an antique tractor museum and historic agricultural sites to a state-of-the-art biofuel production facility. Visitors will find detailed information on:
-Ranches: Yak, alpaca, camel and reindeer ranches; tours and stays at working ranches
-Farms, orchards and mills: Tours; pick-your-own opportunities for apples, peaches, pears, pumpkins and other produce.
-Livestock: Auctions and processors of locally-produced cattle, sheep and hogs.
-Produce: Farm stands, farmers markets featuring locally-grown produce and related products.
-Food, wine, beer: Local distilleries, restaurants, wineries, and microbreweries, as well as local coffee brewers..
-Greenhouses and nurseries: Native plants, heirloom seeds, and other locally grown products.
For information on Mesa Verde Country® agricultural destinations and events, call 800-530-2998 or visit www.mesaverdecountry.com.
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Contacts: Lynn Dyer, Mesa Verde Country® Visitor Information Bureau, 800-530-2998, lynnd@mesaverdecountry.com
Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, 970-887-2536, gaylene@orecommunications.com