Upcoming Events and Other Opportunities:
- Grant, Loan, and Grow (previously known as Grant and Grow) January 15th – 8:30AM – 2:30PM Ranch Event Complex in Loveland (Register by Jan 9th).
- CO AgrAbility Workshop: Jan 20th 12-4pm – Adams County Fairground. Expect to learn, connect with others in agriculture, and engage in conversation about physical and mental health.
- Co Farm Show : January 27 – 29 – Greeley, CO. The annual three-day event features almost 350 ag-related exhibits and draws more than 30,000 visitors from throughout the region interested in learning more about ag products, services, and machinery
- Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference: Feb 24 – 25 Westminster, CO. If you are a new and beginning producer you can receive free registration!
- No Till Conference: Feb 3-4th Burlington, CO
- Western Arid Growers Network gathering (Online, periodic) – Next meetup is 1/12. More information here.
- Western CO Horticulture Society Conference (Grand Junction) – 1/20 – 1/22. More information
- 2026 Roots of Renewal Conference (Montrose) – 1/23 & 1/24. The Western Colorado Soil Health, Food and Farm Forum has a new name. This conference is for anyone with an interest in the future of agriculture. English/Spanish interpretation available all conference! More information & tickets here.
- Valley Food Partnership will be offering four Cultivating Farmers and Ranchers that Thrive Classes this fall/winter, open to all farmers, ranchers, and food entrepreneurs. Email or call calley@valleyfoodpartnership.org – (970)744-9453 to enroll or learn more.
- Did you know that you can access 6 free counseling sessions with a licensed, ag-friendly counselor? Go to www.caamhpforhealth.org to access that via the “I need help” button which takes you to a Google Form.
- CO Building Farmers and Ranchers is open! Join course facilitators, instructors, and other beginning farmers and ranchers (less than 10 years of ag experience) on Tuesday evenings, 6-8:00pm (January 20-March 11, 2026) for 8 weeks this winter for a program designed to help you develop a business plan for your ag operation.
- Farmers Campus has opened enrollment for Climate Resilience Course. Farmers and ranchers in the West: strengthen your climate resilience strategies this winter with Farmer Campus’s live Climate Resilience Course. Six online workshops with expert speakers run on Tuesdays, January 27 – March 3, 2026, paired with a flexible five-module online course.
- CSU Online and the Colorado Building Farmers Program are excited to announce a new course for aspiring farmers, ranchers, and food system workers- Exploring Your Farm Dream (AGLL 2201). Explore your passion and equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and actionable business strategies for a future in agricultural production. Registration for AGLL 2201 is open year-round and offers flexible enrollment: Start any time, from anywhere! The 10-module course is just $150, and learners have access to the course and materials for a full year. To learn more and register, visit: col.st/9f6ln
- Show your Love for Colorado Agriculture: Complete the CSU Land Rental Custom Rates Survey by February 14th. Data from the survey informs Land Renal and Custom Rates in Colorado – one of the most widely used publications from the CSU Agriculture and Business Management Team. Complete the survey here.
- 2026 Píinu Núuchi Farmers Market & Outdoor Biz Lab Vendor Application. Market Dates – Wednesday from 11-2pm (June 3-October 7, 2026). Learn more and apply here.
- Produce Safety Collaborative Grower Trainings to be Offered ONLINE. The Colorado Produce Safety Collaborative which includes Colorado State University Extension, Fort Lewis College and Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will be hosting a series of online Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course in two parts, from 8am-1pm on each of two days. The cost is just $75 per person. The first opportunity is Jan. 13-14. The last day to register for this training is Jan. 5, as training manuals must be mailed to participants in advance. Register here.
- Registration is open for the Old Fort’s 10-week Winter Farm Planning Course which will be held virtually with live Spanish interpretation from 1-3pm on Tuesdays from January 27-April 7 (except for February 24). This course is geared toward beginning farmers planning to start a specialty crop farm (vegetables, fruits, and/or flowers) and covers crop and business planning, growing techniques, marketing, financials, soil health and more. Scholarships are available, folks can email ebell1@fortlewis.edu for more details.
- Field Assistant applications for next year are now open. Field Assistants have at least one year of prior farming experience and continue to grow their farming and leadership skills by working with the Farmer in Training program at the Old Fort. Positions start in March/April and go through mid-November, 30-35 hours per week. Applications are due February 2.
Grant Opportunities
- The Colorado Soil Health Program is excited to share our new Soil Health and Optimizing Water (SHOW) grant opportunity. This grant will provide up to $50,000 in funding to establish or expand projects that enhance soil function, focus on optimizing water resource management on working lands, and provide educational opportunities to the agricultural community. Projects should emphasize innovative, scalable approaches that improve soil function and strengthen water management on farms and ranches. Learn more here.
- The American Bird Conservancy Untreated Seed Program is currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 planting/growing season. Learn more here.
- Sky High Farms: The 2026 grants application window is now open through January 20, 2026.
- The FruitGuys Community Fund: The FruitGuys Community Fund’s 2026 grant applications are opening soon
- Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Urban Agriculture Microgrant Program: Designed to support small-scale projects that help urban producers build a more resilient and sustainable local food system. Applications are due Monday, January 26, 2026
