What is possible in our unique growing environment

Integrating green manure crop in the grain field, 2022

Shining Mountains Farm is a food production and research project operating on a Pitkin County Open Space parcel in the mid Roaring Fork Valley.

Shining Mountains Farm owned and operated by Cooper Means has been experimenting with ways of providing winter food security through the production of storage crops such as grains, beans, squash, apples, and potatoes as well as mushrooms since 2017.

Since 2018, Shining Mountains Farm has grown or hosted 55 varieties of cereal grain 16 varieties of bean 12 varieties of squash, 8 breeds of chicken, 1 breed of sheep, 20 varieties of forage crop, 6 varieties of mushrooms 5 varieties of grapes, 12 varieties of hops, and 50 varieties of fruit trees. Shining Mountains Farm also hosts and helps other food producers looking to get a start and or expand their production and skills. 

Growing practices on Shining Mountains Farm have boosted soil fertility in the four year testing period.

In the most improved field tested, the organic matter has nearly doubled with an 89% increase in the last four years while respiration (a measure of life in the soil) has increased by 40%.

In the least improved field, where heavy cropping has been practiced, organic matter has increased by 60% while soil respiration has increased by 16%.