A Bounty of Travel Experiences Ripe for the Picking During Fall Harvest Season in Colorado
DENVER -- Farming is a long-standing tradition in Colorado, fostered by generations of hard work and plentiful growing conditions. Masters of the trade know that the secrets to a stunning harvest lay in timing, familiarity with the land, and the patience and persistence of seeing a crop through. True commitment to farming grounds itself in trying again when one product fails, and allowing the fruit due time to ripen to the peak of flavor. Across Colorado, farmers have opened their barn doors and ranch gates, homes and havens, for visitors who care to share a meal, a weekend, a week or more. Lose yourself in the beauty and bounty of Colorado farms during fall harvest season and walk away wizened, nourished and rooted. For more information, visit http://roots.colorado.com/publication/?i=253486.On the Go: Farm Stands & Roadside RestaurantsWhen you’re on the road, keep your eyes peeled for farm stands and fill up your trunk with fresh food from the fields. Head to Paonia during the harvest and discover the refreshing taste of fresh apple juice at Big B’s Organic Orchards. Farm stand flags planted along the winding country roads indicate opportunities for travelers to stop in for a taste or tour. Travel from La Junta to Rocky Ford along Highway 50, where farm stands are scattered along the way and taste Rocky Ford’s famous cantaloupe and watermelon! Make a stop at 4th generation Hanagan Farms for u-pick chile and roast it on site. Continue into Pueblo’s Creative Corridor for a stop atBingo Burger for grass-fed and local beef burgers with freshly roasted green chiles – a tasty, southwestern twist. Pedal from farm to farm by bicycle on the 9th Annual Tour de Farms; the bike tour highlights what is unique, healthy and homegrown in Durango’s agricultural and gardening community.Simply SipableWhile much of what we associate with the harvest comes in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, fall also means newly released craft brews, batches of mead and Colorado ciders. During a Colorado-cation, sample cider and take home some spirited skills at Ya-Ya Farm and Orchard's cider-making workshop or pay a visit to Peak Spirits in Paonia to sample this season’s hard cider. Honey Jack Meadery in Broomfield is a father-and-son operation that offers 100 percent all-natural, handcrafted mead using Colorado wild flower honey and certified organic fruits. Discover the cultivation of hops on a tour of High Wire Hops Farm in Colorado’s North Fork Valley or visit Windsor and sample brews crafted at High Hops Brewery, made with hops grown at High Hops Farm. For wine tasting Colorado style, consider a trek (via car or bike) on Colorado’s Wine Trails and visit tasting rooms around the region.Here to StaySpend an overnight at a hard-working homestead. Rent a cabin at Avalanche Cheese Farm and Dairy, an active farm in Paonia where you can help gather eggs, feed chickens and milk goats. After a day’s work, settle into a comfy chair and watch goats graze in pastures set to a backdrop of Mount Lamborn. Don’t limit your farm-to-table experience to just one meal – instead, take part in Smith Fork Ranch Farmstead’s Culinary Weekend, offering guests the opportunity to participate in canning, preserving, sausage and pasta making classes, garden tours and a garden cocktail hour. Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch and U-Pick gardens offer an overnight stay where you can savor organic produce and natural lamb and beef in this ancient and exquisite setting. Take part in a fall harvest cooking class and wine tasting and then settle in for the night at the Claremont Inn and Winery in Stratton.Take a Seat at the TableCome harvest season, shared meals are the heart of the celebration, and farms across Colorado invite you to their tables. At Grant Farms, join in the festivities featuring rustic, organic cuisine with live local music for an unforgettable evening. In Fruita, Roan Creek Ranch offers farm-to-table dinners showcasing their grass-fed beef and lamb. On Thursday evenings, catch the 63rd Street Farm Seed-to-Table Dinner Mingle & Feast event in Boulder, a unique opportunity that creates a family table out of homegrown food aficionados and amateurs alike. At Fresh & Wyld Farmhouse and Gardens, Friday and Saturday night dinners are where local meets global: fresh food harvested from the garden is transformed into fine, ethnic cuisine. In Cortez, you are invited to dine among the vines and cliffs of Sutcliffe Winery at their 9th Annual Harvest Dinner on September 14.Volunteer for VacationRoll up your sleeves and partake in the harvest. Volunteer for a few hours or days at a farm or ranch and reap the reward of a day spent in the field. Short-duration volunteer opportunities let you experience farm life holistically during your holiday. In the bountiful San Luis Valley, Zapata Ranch offers a balance of luxury and labor – mend fences in the morning and practice yoga in the evening; help out with calving and branding, then enjoy a gourmet meal of fresh farm ingredients. In Boulder County visit several on-the-farm experiences like Cure Organic Farm, Pachamama Farm, and McCauley Family Farm. Lend a hand on an urban dairy goat farm atMountain Flower Goat Dairy. In Durango, community becomes culinary when you volunteer at the School and Community Gardens or at Manna Soup Kitchen gardens on volunteer days.CelebrateWhether it’s sweet corn in Olathe, peaches in Palisade, potatoes in Alamosa or chiles in Pueblo, Colorado knows how to celebrate a bountiful harvest season. At Greeley Potato Day, fold history into your feast with activities like blacksmithing and adobe brick making. In Telluride, get your forage on at the 35th Annual Telluride Mushroom Festival. Join the Colorado Brewers Guild for the Fresh Hop Festival, showcasing a medley of fresh hopped beers. Harvest events scattered across the state serve to celebrate this age-old tradition with fresh food, live music, and engaging heritage activities.Get Lost in the HarvestAside from offering festivities for the whole family, corn mazes across the state offer an intimate opportunity for getting to know the seed-to-flower details of a crop. Country Side Farms in Northern Colorado boasts a 15-acre corn maze, ripe with fun and flavor. Head over to Murray Farms Corn Maze in Brighton, a working farm since 1917, for field trips and hay rides. Fredericka Fall Festival in Avondale celebrates the harvest with a pumpkin trebuchet, corn maze and pumpkin patch. At Pope’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, corn mazes are just the beginning; corn cannons, pumpkin pillows, hay rides and duck races offer endless hours of farm entertainment. Rock Creek Farm’s corn maze claims the title of being one of the largest in the Western U.S., and younger kids can enjoy their own hay-bale maze.Autumn is the prime time to experience Colorado farms. From century-old homesteads that highlight traditional techniques to more contemporary fields and farms planting new ideas and inspiration into age-old practices, farming preserves the spirit and heritage of Colorado. Whether for a short visit or extended vacation, settle into your roots, sit back for a meal, and enjoy the fruits of a bountiful Colorado harvest season.ABOUT COLORADOColorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine, and 25 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, over 850 visitor-friendly farms and ranches, and 58 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet.For more information or a copy of the 2015 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com or call 1-800-COLORADO. 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