A Note from Annika & Jake
Hello, friends and neighbors!
Fall has been busy here at San Miguel Basin Extension, and we’re excited to share a little of what we’ve been up to. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been out in the community hosting workshops on drought, Russian olive management, farm and ranch succession planning, and seed saving, while continuing to work one-on-one with local producers and community members.
We’re also looking ahead to a full fall of programming, including opportunities to learn about beekeeping, sustainable landscaping, local food and skills, agriculture, and more. Jake and I are grateful to everyone who has joined us, shared their expertise, asked questions, and helped make these programs happen.
As always, Extension is here as a local resource—so stop by, give us a call, or send us a note and let us know what you’d like to learn about next.
— Annika & Jake
| | Upcoming San Miguel Basin Extension Events | | | |
Beekeeping 101
Join Nature’s Gold Apiary for this FREE intro class covering the basics of beekeeping.
Sunday, October 4, 2026 | 2:00 PM
The White Room
1635 Grand Ave., Suite 5
Norwood, CO
(Find us above Crossbow Leather on Main Street)
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Learn how to collect, clean and store seed from your garden for next season. Taught by Master Gardener, Bronwen Spielman.
Naturita Community Library
October 3, 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Seed Saving 101
Telluride
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Learn how to collect, clean and store seed from your garden for next season. Taught by Master Gardener, Bronwen Spielman.
Wilkinson Public Library
October 17, 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Learn from the Locals Day — Second Annual
November 14 | 9 AM–5 PM
Spend the day learning from the talented people in our own community! Our second annual Learn from the Locals Day features hands-on, creative sessions running throughout the day. Come for one class or make a day of it.
$15 per session (all proceeds go to the instructor).
This year’s sessions include:
- All Things Apples with Jennifer Nelson
- Writing in Community with Ellen Metrick
- Kimchi Making with Annika Kristiansen
- Herbal Wisdom with Nicole Brandt-Tait
- Sourdough Baking with Isabella Poulos
More details and the full schedule coming soon!
| | | Regional Happenings & Partner Events | | | | Winter CSA Registration is Open! | The Fresh Food Hub's Winter CSA brings together locally grown produce and other local foods from producers across our region. Sign up by November 2nd. | | |
Livestock on Landscapes - October 15, 2026
A workshop on harnessing livestock behavior for healthier land and animals.
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Speakers:
- Dr. Juan Villalba, Utah State University :: From Bites to Landscapes: How Livestock Behavior and Foodscape Interventions Shape Rangeland and Ruminant Health
- Dr. Flavie Audoin, University of Arizona :: Using Virtual Fence and Livestock Behavior for Landscape Health
- Dr. Rory O'Connor, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Station :: Strategic Rangeland and Herd Management Planning Before and After Fires
- Glenn Elzinga, Alderspring Ranch :: Raising Beef on the High, Wide and Lonesome: Virtual Fencing for Weight Gain, Rangeland Diversity and Habitat Enhancement
The Dolores Community Center
400 Riverside Ave.
Dolores, CO, 81323
$40 (lunch and snacks included)
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Summit to Shelf: Scaling Food + Ag Businesses on the West Slope
October 5, 2026 - 11:00-4:00 PM MT
Durango, CO
| | | Summit to shelf is a two-part program designed to support agriculture, food and beverage entrepreneurs across the West Slope. From early-stage ideas to growth-ready, value-added agricultural and consumer packaged goods. This program combines a hands on business workshop and a live founder showcase. | | | | |
Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum 2026
October 7-8, 2026
Denver, Colorado
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The 2026 RFSI Forum is the premier gathering for understanding the why, how, and where to invest across agriculture and food systems for long-term value and resilience.
It’s the only event that brings together key decision-makers from investment, finance, farming, and food — alongside leading-edge investment strategies, real-world and actionable case studies, and curated deal flow across agriculture, natural capital, agtech, and food.
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Virtual Fencing: New Tools for Post-Fire Grazing Management
October 17
Sapello, NM
| | | Join Quivira Coalition, Hermits Peak Watershed Alliance, and Vence for a half-day, field-based workshop exploring how virtual fencing works and how it can be incorporated into a working ranch operation. Participants will learn about training cattle, creating and adjusting virtual boundaries, monitoring livestock, and incorporating virtual fencing into planned grazing. | | | | |
REGENERATE Conference
October 28 - 30, 2026
Santa Fe, NM
| | | Through inspiring talks, workshops, deep discussions, and skill-building opportunities, REGENERATE 2026: Stewardship in Action will motivate you to make changes, try something new, and unite with others to build momentum for transformative stewardship. | | | | |
DIY Soil Health Workshop
November 6
Shiprock, NM
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Don't miss our hands-on workshop where you’ll learn how to assess and improve your soil health using simple, low-cost methods — no special tools or lab testing needed! Participants will learn ways to look at things like soil pH, moisture, and overall soil condition, while building skills they can use to better understand changes on their own land.
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Apple Trees for Sale!
Local Heirloom Apple Trees. 2-4 foot tall. Grafted from Nucla, Norwood, Montrose and Redvale.
$35 Each
Varieties include: Arkansas Black, Wolf River, Tom Putt, Stayman Winesap, Transcendent Crab, Winter Banana, Newtown Pippin.
Call or text Jennifer: 970.779.8923
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Market Reports
September livestock markets across the region remained active, with strong demand for feeder cattle and steady markets for bulls and weigh cows.
Reports from Delta, Yellow Jacket, Cortez, and other regional sales show continued strength across many calf weight classes, alongside active sheep and goat markets. Several special feeder calf, livestock, and small-ruminant sales are scheduled throughout October, giving area producers additional opportunities to market livestock this fall.
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New SARE Handbook: Cover Crops
SARE’s updated Cover Crops handbook offers practical guidance on improving soil health, reducing input costs, selecting species and mixes, and integrating cover crops into grazing, horticulture, and organic systems.
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Bluemuda Turfgrass Research
Researchers are testing bluemuda, a mix of bermudagrass and Kentucky bluegrass designed to provide year-round green turf with less water and maintenance. Early estimates suggest it could reduce initial seed costs for athletic fields by up to 45%.
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Tracking New World Screwworm
USDA scientists are using predictive modeling and AI to forecast where New World screwworm could appear and spread. The research aims to help ranchers, researchers, and public health officials prepare for and respond to potential outbreaks.
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More from USDA
AgInsights: USDA NASS has launched a new tool to modernize agricultural data visualization.
| Career Opportunity: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is currently accepting applications. | | |
SARE Open Calls for Proposals
Western SARE is currently accepting proposals for several grant programs supporting sustainable agriculture research, education, and producer-led projects. Most applications are due October 28; Visiting Research & Education proposals are due October 5.
Awards are contingent upon USDA-NIFA authorization of funding to SARE’s host institution, Montana State University.
Need help applying? Grant-writing webinars for each program are available online. You can also compare all grant programs or use SARE’s grant-selection infographic to find the best fit.
Explore Past SARE Projects
Looking for ideas or results from previous projects? SARE’s public database lets you search funded projects by state, crop, practice, and other topics to see what past grantees have learned.
Search the SARE Project Database
Mini Grants for Farmer/Rancher Grantees
Current and recent Farmer/Rancher Principal Investigators may apply for mini grants to attend conferences, share results from their Western SARE-funded projects, and promote the Farmer/Rancher grant program. Applications are due at least 60 days before in-person conference attendance or 30 days before a virtual conference.
Learn More & Apply
| | | | SMB CSU Extension | 1120 Summit Street | Norwood, CO 81423 US | |
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