In 1870, Governor McCook designated that Fort Collins become the site of Colorado’s Morril Act College. Eighteen years later, Colorado State University (CSU) established its first agriculture experimental stations in accordance with the 1887 Hatch, the San Louis Valley Research Center has been in existence since 1888.
Earlier this year, we were connected with the Farm Manager at CSU Research Center San Louis Valley through our partner at the Food Bank of The Rockies. The farm grows and researches potatoes in a variety of styles, fashions and for a variety of reason. In the past, the farm has tilled under any unused or non-harvested potatoes and left them in the field.
This year, they changed their process and are now donating the unused potatoes for their Southern Colorado neighbors at risk of hunger. Care and Share partnered with them and sent bins and trucks to pick up the potatoes. Combined with the bins the farm had, we were able to rescue over 40,000 pounds of unused potatoes!
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| Care and Share volunteers processing donated potatoes |
Donating these potatoes provides an outlet for the farm to be more productive with the small acreage they manage. They can plant, harvest, and plant again without having to worry where to put those unused potatoes.
Tyler Thompson, the Farm Manager, says that “On behalf of the individuals at the research center, we are glad to have the opportunity to contribute to those less fortunate than ourselves.”
Thanks for reading!
