Farms

Farms on Colorado’s Western Slope are famous for Palisade peaches and other fruits and vegetables. But Colorado is also famous for its wild weather, which can wipe out crops. Today we look at a unique partnership that helps get crops to farmers markets– even when a spring freeze left some farms without much to harvest.

Democrats tend to present themselves as pro-worker. But a recent bill to scale back overtime rules for farm workers caused a split among Colorado Democrats, with a handful joining state Republicans to pass the legislation. What this means for farmworkers – and why 11 Democrats decided to support the bill.

The bill sparked bitter debate and passed the House by a single vote.

But lawmakers agree on moves to safeguard the state’s farms and ranches for the next generation.

Neonicotinoids hit the market as a safer way to kill pests. Then many pollinators started dying.

Growers worry the bill, backed by the governor, will add bureaucracy and cut yields and profits. Advocacy groups say neonicotinoids are being used as an insurance policy.

One day, a fourth generation of family members will run Lenz Farms in Yuma County on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. They plan to bring back innovative ideas and implement new things to help the farm continue to grow. But will these fresh ideas be enough to offset a shrinking water supply?

Lenz Farms in Yuma County, Colo., was started by a father and his four sons in the 1970s. They created a unique business model that keeps management and ownership in the family. This has allowed Lenz Farms to survive and thrive over the decades unlike hundreds of thousands of other family farms.

Garden to Table is a non-profit currently connected with 18 Boulder Valley schools. They provide supplies and support for kids to get engaged in their school's garden space.

A new approach to addressing water scarcity is underway — one that turns farmland into projects that benefit both people and the environment. Researchers say parched Mountain West states could learn from it.