HEA 2026 January CCL Magazine

UNDERSTANDING PEAK DEMAND • LOAD CONTROL DEADLINE

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1

14 Volume 57 • Number 1 • January 2026

In This Issue

20

4

Viewpoint

6

From the Editor

7

Your Co-op News

11

At Home

12

Get Outside

14

Energy Expert

16

Feature Story

Learn techniques to evaluate your home’s energy efficiency.

20 Industry

Electric co-op CEOs discuss wildfire mitigation plans and public policy at the state level.

24

24 Recipes

Make fun snacks to celebrate National Popcorn Day January 19.

26 Getaway 28 Marketplace 29 The Find 30 Reader Photos

MAGAZINE STAFF Publisher Cassi Gloe cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Editor Kylee Coleman kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org Editorial Assistant Melinda Taylor mtaylor@coloradocountrylife.org EDITORIAL Corporate Office 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226 info@coloradocountrylife.org, 303-455-4111 Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities, and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.

COPYRIGHT All content © 2026 Colorado Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited.

Colorado Country Life

COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE (USPS 469400/ISSN 1090-2503), Copyright © 2026 is published monthly by the Colorado Rural Electric Association, 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226. Business and Editorial Offices: 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226, Accounting and Circulation Offices: 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226.

Call 303-455-4111 to subscribe. Periodicals postage is paid at Denver, Colorado.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life at 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226.

SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is 30 cents per month, paid from equity accruing to the member.

For nonmembers, a subscription is $16 per year in state/$21 out of state.

ADVERTISING 720-407-0712 advertising@coloradocountrylife.org National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress St., Suite 504 Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 ADVERTISING STANDARDS Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. View advertising and editorial policy terms and conditions online at coloradocountrylife.coop.

January 2026

3

Photo: pygmalionk/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

VIEWPOINT

Priority for 2026 Keeping electricity affordable

By Tom Walch Executive Director

T

he beginning of a year: a time for new beginnings and fresh starts.

As 2026 dawns, this is certainly the case for the Colorado Rural Electric Association, and for me personally, as I take the helm of the organization.

After 14 years as the CEO of Grand Valley Power in Grand Junction — and more than 26 years in the electric cooperative family — the CREA Board of Directors has selected me to fill the big shoes of Kent Singer, the association’s retiring executive director.

That means I will head up communications efforts, direct critical safety support, manage education functions, and lead legislative efforts for electric cooperatives serving members and consumers across the state.

This month, legislative advocacy takes the spotlight as the Colorado General Assembly convenes just a few days after I begin my new role. My years at local distribution co-ops have taught me how decisions at the Capitol can impact the lives of the people we serve.

This session could be one of the most consequential for consumers of electricity in years, as threats and even a few opportunities abound. I will hit the ground running as the CREA legislative team focuses on one goal above all: keeping electricity affordable for electric co-ops and the consumers they serve. Here are some of the legislative issues that could directly impact the cost of electricity: Accelerated clean energy initiatives — Lawmakers are expected to revisit proposals that accelerate the state’s clean-energy timelines. Electric co-ops across the state have gone to great lengths to meet existing standards that are more ambitious than required almost anywhere in the country. If these standards are accelerated without regard for how

4 January 2026

co-ops and other utilities operate, they threaten to drive up costs and disrupt long-term planning. We will be at the table working to ensure affordability is front and center.

Organized wholesale markets — We also anticipate renewed attention on Colorado’s requirement that all transmission providers join an organized wholesale market by 2030. When every provider in the state participates, costs go down for everyone. It will be a priority for CREA this session to ensure that no utility seeks to circumvent that obligation through legislation.

Wildfire mitigation — Finally, as noted in a recent issue of Colorado Country Life, we will advance legislation that reduces the risk of devastating wildfires. This includes promoting responsible mitigation efforts and stabilization of long-term risks, including financial risks. As my friends at Poudre Valley REA have pointed out, many electric co-ops are just a spark away from a wildfire that could threaten their very existence. That is why we will pursue legislation aimed at addressing those pressures directly. Read pages 20-22 in this issue for a deeper look into why this legislation is needed.

These priorities, along with the 40 or so other bills we will take positions on this session, will keep all of us at the statewide association busy. It is my goal to prioritize electric co-op consumer-members as the CREA team and I work to keep electricity reliable, safe, and affordable for the communities our member cooperatives serve.

Tom Walch is the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the statewide organization supporting 21 electric distribution cooperatives and one generation and transmission cooperative.

Colorado Country Life

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FROM THE EDITOR

A Matter of Minutes

By Kylee Coleman Editor

D

o you ever find yourself avoiding that dreaded To-Do List item because you are convinced it will take too long? I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve put off a chore (usually emptying the dishwasher) because I am certain it will take more time than I think I have — or more time I am willing to put into it.

That is a wordy way of admitting that I am a procrastinator. “But I am positive it will take hundreds of minutes,” is typically the excuse I use to avoid cleaning out the junk drawer or tackling that pile of mail in the corner of my office.

And yet, once I finally dig in, tasks always go much faster than expected.

To prove this to myself, I sometimes pull up the stopwatch function on my phone and time how long it actually takes to empty the dishwasher. It’s a simple way to retrain my brain and quiet the internal voice that insists everything will “take forever.”

Occasionally, I’ll even set a countdown timer and try to beat the clock — a small way to gamify chores and make them a little more fun.

On page 11, writer Mary Peck shares a fantastic checklist of monthly homemaintenance rituals to keep our homes running smoothly. So here’s a 2026 challenge for my fellow procrastinators: Tear out page 11 from the magazine and tape it to your fridge or bulletin board. The first month you do it, time each task and jot the number of minutes it takes next to each checkbox. Then when we tackle the same list in February, will have a realistic expectation of the time involved — not the hundreds of minutes we imagine it will.

Monthly Giveaway Take time in the new year to hydrate and nourish your skin — enter to win a jar of Wild Melts.

The Meditation infusion of Wild Melts is made from 100% Colorado grass-fed, grass-finished beef suet tallow, frankincense resin, rosemary, lavender, and cold-pressed apricot kernel oil.

Read more about tallow skincare on pages 16-19.

Visit our website at coloradocountrylife.coop to enter this giveaway. Need another way to enter our contests? Send a postcard with your name, mailing address, phone number, and the name of your electric cooperative to CCL Giveaway, 455 S. Pierce St., Lakewood, CO 80226. Contest closes January 20.

6 January 2026

Colorado Country Life

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Understanding Peak Demand

By Dennis Herman General Manager

Y

ou are probably not thinking about energy costs, or what drives those costs, when you flip on a light switch or turn on an appliance. Demand, specifically peak demand, is a primary cost driver of electric bills and understanding this concept will help you to become a betterinformed consumer.

To help understand demand, here is an example: Electric energy consumption is measured in kilowatt-hours — kWh — and demand is measured in kilowatts — kW. Light bulbs have varying power ratings, and for this example we will use a 100-watt bulb. If that lightbulb stays on for 10 hours, it “consumes” 1,000 watt-hours — one kWh — but only demands 100 watts. Now, if you turn on ten 100W light bulbs in your home for 1 hour, you are still consuming the same watt-hours. However, you are placing a demand 10 times higher on the utility to have those watts available to you over the course of 1 hour, instead of 10 hours. The demand would be 1,000 watts — or one kW. As more electric loads run simultaneously, your demand for power increases. This requires generators on the electric grid to produce more power to meet your demand. Peak demand is the maximum demand across a defined period of time.

It is easy to see why this is an important driver in the cost of providing electric service. The peak demand at your service dictates the size of wire and equipment necessary to serve you, and it drives the size of equipment as we aggregate load all the way up to the transmission line and generation resource level.

Take a moment to consider how weather affects your use of electricity.

Electricity use naturally increases when temperatures reach high or low extremes.

Heating and cooling systems run longer and more frequently to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.

Irrigation wells run longer during hot, dry spells to keep up with the needs of crops.

During the summer and winter months when homes and businesses across the country are using more electricity simultaneously, overall demand can approach — or occasionally exceed — available supply. This is especially true during severe weather events, such as winter storms, long hot spells, sudden temperature drops, or equipment malfunctions that reduce generation capacity. In rare cases when demand threatens to outpace supply, the regional grid operator may call for temporary controlled outages — often referred to as rolling blackouts — to prevent broader system failures. If such a situation arises, Highline Electric Association will work to provide timely updates and information to members.

To prepare for these scenarios and minimize risks, utilities across the grid — generation and transmission providers and local distribution companies — work together to implement proactive measures to strengthen reliability year-round. These measures include routine system maintenance, investments in grid modernization, comprehensive disaster response planning, and extensive resource planning processes. These proactive steps are designed to ensure our portion of the grid remains resilient even under extreme conditions. Yet,

1300 S. Interocean P.O. Box 57 Holyoke, CO 80734-0057

Our mission is to provide our members with reliable, high-quality electricity and other needed services, which will improve their economic and social well-being and provide significant long-range benefits for our communities, our state, and our nation.

Colorado Country Life

phone 970-854-2236 toll free 800-816-2236

HEA OFFICE HOURS Holyoke & Sterling: M-Th 7 a.m.– 5:30 p.m.

info@hea.coop hea.coop

Ovid: Mon., Tues., Thurs.

9 a.m.–3 p.m.

facebook.com/HighlineElectric

January 2026

7

YOUR CO-OP NEWS maintaining a reliable electric system requires a collective effort and every member plays an important role in lowering demand when the grid is under stress.

Understanding how weather impacts electricity demand is key to maintaining system reliability. By practicing simple energy conservation habits at home — like shifting and staggering your energy use — you may not only save money on your monthly bill, but

you will also help increase the resilience of the grid that powers our communities.

Together, through small actions and shared awareness, we can ensure that our homes remain warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and that our lights stay on, and our local grid continues to serve us reliably throughout severe weather events.

Board Election

A

n election will be held for three director positions on March 31 at Highline Electric Association’s Annual Meeting. These positions require the nominee to be a member of Highline and comply with Article III, Section 3 of HEA’s bylaws.

There will be two director positions from District 1, and the nominees must reside in Logan, Weld, Washington, or Morgan County, Colorado. The incumbent directors for this district are Pam Stieb and Brad Stromberger.

One director position from District 2 is available, and the nominee must reside in Phillips or Yuma County, Colorado. The incumbent director for this district is Aaron Sprague.

Petitions to nominate a director are available at all Highline offices.

Anyone nominated for a board position must comply with the following rules: 1. The person nominated must comply with Article III, Section 3 of the bylaws, a copy of which may be obtained from any Highline Electric office.

2. A minimum of 15 signatures is required for nomination. Each member signing the petition must reside in the same district as the person being nominated.

3. Only members of Highline may sign said petition. If the membership is in joint tenancy, only one tenant may sign.

4. Circulators of said petition should attempt to verify the correctness of the name and address of each signer and must require that the signature take place in the presence of the circulator. The circulator should sign the affidavit at the end of said petition and have the affidavit notarized before submitting it to Highline Electric.

5. All petitions must be received by Highline Electric Association, 1300 S. Interocean, Holyoke, CO 80734 or P.O. Box 57, Holyoke, CO 80734 no later than January 29.

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION Highline Electric Association is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Dennis Herman, Manager of Highline Electric Association. To file a complaint of discrimination, write U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call 202-260-1026 or 800-795-3272. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

8 January 2026

You’re Invited

Join us for Highline Electric Association’s 88th Annual Meeting.

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31 at the Phillips County Event Center located at the fairgrounds in Holyoke.

Board President Mike Bennett and General Manager Dennis Herman will give reports on the status of the association and a director election will be held.

Watch for more information arriving in your mailbox in March and visit Highline’s website at hea.coop for livestream information for the event.

REBATES AVAILABLE Are you making any home upgrades? Maybe you’re electrifying your lawn equipment before summer? Visit Highline Electric’s website at hea.coop/rebates to learn about the 2026 rebate program.

Colorado Country Life

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Congratulations

The following employees observe a Highline Electric employment anniversary in January: Jeff Pocock - 34 years JT Baker - 29 years Kris Camblin - 28 years Melissa Nelson - 23 years Jessie Heath - 11 years Elise Pocock - 11 years Mendi Lutze - 10 years

2026 LOAD CONTROL Letters for the 2026 Load Control program were sent to all irrigation landowners in November.

The deadline to make any changes to your load control option is January 31.

If you have changes for the 2026 program — including tenant changes — please call our office at 970-854-2236 and contracts will be sent to you.

No option changes, additions, or deletions will be allowed after January 31.

Welcome

ANNALISE EVERHART

Highline Electric Association is excited to welcome Annalise Everhart to the member services team. She began work at the Holyoke office in November.

GET MONEY FOR COLLEGE FROM HIGHLINE ELECTRIC Highline Electric, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative work together to provide 13 scholarships to graduating seniors in Highline’s service area. Scholarships range from $500 to $1,000. Two of Highline's $1,000 scholarships are renewable and can be redeemed by the recipient for up to four years if they maintain eligibility criteria. Visit us online at hea.coop to apply.

Applications must be submitted by February 1.

Anna grew up in Iliff and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting. Annalise looks forward to getting to know Highline members and said, “I am excited to be a part of the Holyoke community.” She also is eager to learn from her fellow employees at the co-op. “I am surrounded by so many Highline employees with lots of knowledge.”

When not at work, Anna enjoys baking, playing cards, watching movies, and spending lots of time with her husband, Chance.

DO WE HAVE YOUR CORRECT PHONE NUMBER? Please check the phone number you have listed with us and update it if necessary. Having updated phone numbers will allow Highline Electric’s outage management system to notify both staff and members with outage information.

Colorado Country Life

January 2026

9

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Infrastructure Costs Across the industry, the past five years have seen rising costs driven by inflation, rising costs of materials, soaring energy use, labor costs, high interest rates, and tariffs. The impact has been rapid increases in the cost of producing power, longer and more unpredictable project timelines, and the need for more financing, all of which have driven electric rates for our members and consumers across the nation. Percent increase since 2020:

Infrastructure

Utility poles (wood, steel, composite) +25–40% Crossarms & braces (steel/wood)....... +20–35% Conductor wire (aluminum/copper).. +30–50% Transformers....................................... +70–100% Grain-oriented electrical steel........... +80–100% Oil/dielectric fluids............................ +25–40% Copper wiring...................................... +50% Concrete.............................................. +25–35% Smart meters....................................... +20–35% Pad-mounted switchgear.................... +25–40% Circuit breakers/reclosers................... +20–35%

Generation

Diesel gensets...................................... +20–40% Gas turbines........................................ +20–30% Solar PV systems................................. +25–35% Wind turbines...................................... +25–35% Hydropower components................... +20–30% Battery storage.................................... +25–40% SCADA/EMS systems........................... +20–30% Inverters.............................................. +20–30% Relays & switchgear............................ +25–40% Natural Gas.......................................... +20–120% Coal...................................................... +30–60% Diesel/fuel oil.................................... +40–70%

Build-outs

Utility construction labor.................... +20–40% Freight/logistics................................... +30–60%

Fleets

Light trucks.......................................... +25–40% Bucket trucks, digger derricks ........... +20–50% Fuel costs (especially diesel).............. +20–30% Maintenance........................................ +15–25% Insurance premiums........................... +20%

Sources: BLS; energynews.com; Reuters; Wood Mackenzie; NREL; IEA

10 January 2026

Colorado Country Life

Photo by BackyardProduction/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

AT HOME

Out with Big Resolutions, In with Simple Routines

By Mary Peck

R

eady to take charge of the new year? Your home is a great place to start. Creating a monthly homemaintenance routine is an achievable, smart, and satisfying way to start fresh with a mini “new year” every four weeks. Regular home-maintenance rituals reset your space while helping to keep hardworking appliances and other home essentials clean and in peak working condition.

Swapping out one big resolution for smaller monthly rituals will keep your home humming this year. Your living space will be easier to maintain, and every month will feel like a fresh start. Cheers to that!

Change the furnace filter each month to improve indoor air quality and to help the unit function more efficiently.

BASIC HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST HOME AIR QUALITY

□ Portable Humidifier: Empty, rinse, and disinfect the tank to prevent mold and mineral deposits. □ Furnace filters: Check and replace monthly to help your heating and cooling system run efficiently and keep the air clean.

□ HEPA filters: Clean the filters on vacuums and air purifiers; many are washable.

KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY

□ Dishwasher: Pull out the filter and rinse away food debris. Scrub the filter with a soft brush before putting it back in the machine. Run a full load of dishes and include a commercial cleaner to get rid of odors and buildup. Look for a cleaner that is made specifically for dishwashers, like Lemi Shine.

□ Refrigerator and freezer: Clean dust and debris from the grill in the back of the appliance. Wipe down shelves and toss anything past its prime.

□ Microwave and oven: Loosen grime by heating a cup of water and lemon juice in the microwave for 2 minutes, then wipe clean. For the oven, run a self-cleaning cycle or use baking soda paste to clean tough spots. □ Coffee maker: Wipe down the outside of the machine. Run a cleaning cycle with water only — no ground coffee — and a small amount of Colorado Country Life

citric acid to remove mineral buildup. Then run two cycles with only water to rinse it completely.

□ Garbage disposal: Pour ½ cup of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of citric acid into the disposal. Wait 10 minutes, then run the disposal with hot water.

□ Washing machine: Run an empty cycle using hot water and a washing machine cleaning tablet like Afresh. You can find this and similar products in the commercial cleaner aisle at your local supermarket.

□ Clothes dryer: Vacuum the lint trap and the vent hose — special attachments are available for this — to improve heating efficiency and reduce fire risk.

BONUS POINTS

□ Rearrange food items in your pantry for meal inspiration and to help you remember what you have in stock. □ Do one task you have been putting off, like replacing a burned-out light bulb, hanging a picture on the wall, or cleaning out a cluttered drawer.

□ Donate a box of clothes or items you no longer use to your local thrift store.

Northern Colorado-based writer Mary Peck connects Coloradans with practical tips, ideas, and information to help them prosper.

January 2026

11

GET OUTSIDE

Lighten the Load

By Dennis E. Smith

S

ooner or later every fly-fisher you know finds themselves consumed by a mysterious urge to hang, pin, dangle, snap, clamp, and stuff as many weird little angling devices and accessories as humanly possible into and onto their fishing vest: Clippers, retractors, knot-tiers, bottles of fly dope, spools of tippet material, and — well, you name it, the list is positively endless. It seems the more stuff you have dangling from your vest, the more likely you and other fly-fishers are to think you actually know what you’re doing. It’s a harmless delusion. You can usually tell when one of these fly-fishing gadgetfreaks is on the river long before you see them: clang, bang, tinkle, clank … they sound like a junkyard coming downstream.

Eventually, though, most of us come to our senses.

One day you suddenly realize your “lightweight” fly vest now weighs 37 pounds. Your local chiropractor is adjusting you weekly for chronic back and neck pain, and — perhaps more telling — you can’t find what you need without physically spilling the entire contents of the vest on the ground and searching through the clutter for 20 minutes or so. You also notice you can’t remember what half this stuff is for.

At this point, you resolve to lighten the load. You replace the vest with an angler’s belt pack about the

12 January 2026

size of a paperback novel. In it, you carry a single fly box, a pair of forceps, a line nipper, a spool or two of tippet material, and a small tin of split shot — the essentials and nothing more. Free at last of the 40-pound vest and the annoying metallic clanging, you glide through the forest with the stealth of a panther.

Your neck and shoulder pains are gone, and you haven’t seen the chiropractor for months.

This works out well, and you feel marvelously efficient … for a while. But then, you begin to suffer from bouts of creeping anxiety. Triggered by the fly-fisher’s unholy fear of being caught on the river without the right fly, you stuff another fly box in there. And then another. And while you’re at it, you add another spool of tippet material, just in case. And some more split shot for the same reason. Before you know it, the little pack is bursting at the seams and you consider going back to the vest — but with the sworn understanding you’ll carry only what you need for a day on the stream and absolutely, positively, nothing else. Well, except for the net, of course — can’t live without the net. Or the water bottle. And a couple of candy bars. And …

Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.

Colorado Country Life

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Photo by nikkytok/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images.

ENERGY EXPERT

Home Energy Audit Simple steps to check efficiency

By James Dulley

Q: How can I evaluate my home’s energy efficiency to see if I need to make improvements?

A thermal energy detector, also called an infrared thermometer, is an inexpensive tool for finding cold, uninsulated spots in your walls.

A: Although improvements can be made to an already

may indicate inadequate insulation.

To see if your walls are insulated, switch off the circuit breakers to wall outlets on outside walls.

Double-check the outlet with a circuit tester to be sure the power is off. Remove the electrical faceplate. Using a nonconducting plastic knife, poke around the sides of the conduit box to look for signs of insulation.

Since heating and cooling equipment accounts for the majority of your utility bills, have your HVAC system inspected regularly to be sure it is operating at maximum efficiency. If it is old, have your contractor do a payback analysis for installing a new, higher efficiency model. This will save energy and generally improve your comfort level.

And last, ensure your HVAC thermostat is accurate. Tape a bulb thermometer next to it on the wall to compare temperatures. Keeping your house just a couple degrees warmer than you desire can be costly. It is easy to become accustomed to room temperatures and not realize they are needlessly high or low.

Ask your local electric co-op about energyefficiency rebates, energy audits, and other services it may offer to help make your home more energy efficient.

reasonably energy-efficient house, the savings may not always justify the investment. Here are a few things you can do to determine what sort of improvements your home might need.

A good place to start is to check for air leaks. Air leaks are common in most homes, and they will cause your heating and cooling system to work harder than it needs to. Inspect window and door weather stripping and gaps where the wall sill plate rests on the foundation. One of the simplest ways to check for air leaks is to observe the trail of smoke from a stick of incense. Move the lighted stick around any place where there could be air leaks. Caulk or use weather stripping material to seal air leaks.

Next, check for insulation deficits. For about $30, you can buy a thermal energy detector online. These are sometimes called infrared thermometers. Set the temperature differential on the device to 1, 5, or 10 degrees. Shine the beam on a spot where the wall feels like a typical wall temperature and this becomes the reference temperature.

Move the beam around. The screen will change color when the temperature difference from the reference spot is 1, 5, or 10 degrees from the reference spot, depending upon the setting. If there is a room that you keep cooler, the reference temperature will be different for that room. During winter, cold spots

14 January 2026

James Dulley is a freelance writer and a DIY enthusiast who conducts energy audits for homeowners and businesses to help them save money on their utility bills.

Colorado Country Life

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Apron photo by Steve Bacon/Photodisc via Getty Images Beef cuts graphic by FoxysGraphic/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

FEATURE STORY

Nose to Tail

A look at the Coloradans working together to rethink the whole animal

By Suzie Romig

A

decade ago, most Colorado ranchers could not give away beef tongue.

Now with the acceptance of the tender, flavorful meat in tacos de lengua, the price of beef tongue is more than $6 a pound, making it worthwhile in processing labor costs. That’s a good thing for advocates who are working to reduce waste in the livestock production industry and helping to boost Colorado agricultural producers.

“Ten years ago, you couldn’t give it away, and now I actually have to beg to get it from my processors who have tongue because they can sell it for a good price,” said Jordan Kraft Lambert, director of ag innovation and partnerships at the Colorado State University Spur center north of downtown Denver. “Tongue is like the poster child of what we want to happen with all organ meats.”

Beef tongue is just one example of a growing list of products that are being saved from the meat-processing waste stream for use by Colorado entrepreneurs and small-business owners. The official name of that often-wasted yet nutrient-dense product is offal, along with other names such as organ meats, offcuts, off-choice, edible by-products, variety meats, ancestral blends, or underutilized cuts. The word

16 January 2026

Jordan Kraft Lambert, Director of Ag Innovation at the Colorado State University Spur, is leading a statewide effort to increase the use of offal to help producers’ bottom line, promote entrepreneurial ag-product businesses, and reduce waste in livestock production.

“offal” historically stems from the combination of the words “off” and “fall,” referring to the parts of an animal that fall off the butcher’s block or are cast aside as less valuable.

In Colorado, offal is used in popular dog treats, tallow-based skincare products, tallow cooking oil, restaurant or catered specialty dishes, and ancestral blend ground beef that includes 15%-20% organ meats. Offal devotees use collagen-rich chicken feet to make soup broth and capsules of dehydrated organs as health supplements.

Successful Louisville-based pet treat company Winnie Lou, founded by Ashlin Cook, has been using offal for more than seven years, starting with bison heart and liver for dehydrated or freeze-dried dog training treats. The business started with buying from vendors at the Boulder Farmers Market. Winnie Lou has grown from a small food truck in a vintage travel trailer in 2018 with a “mission to take the mystery out of pet treats” to products now sold in some 250 locations across Colorado and roughly 2,500 pet or grocery stores across the United States, Cook said.

Colorado Country Life

FEATURE STORY Photo at left: Offcut tacos for people to sample at the 2025 CSU Spur Offal Party.

Photo courtesy of Colorado State University

Products at Louisville-based pet treat company Winnie Lou includes bison trachea chews.

Photo courtesy of Winnie Lou

Since using bison liver and heart has become more popular, Cook said she now pays $7 to $15 per pound for bison heart when she originally paid $2 to $3 per pound. Now her company produces dog chews made from bison marrow bones, tracheas, scapulas, and tendons.

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS Lambert at CSU Spur is leading a statewide effort to increase the use of offal to help producers’ bottom lines, promote entrepreneurial ag-product businesses, and reduce waste in livestock production. “She’s definitely very helpful in introducing people to ranches and bringing more awareness to offal in general,” Cook said.

“Our role is to understand the problems Colorado farmers and ranchers face, then accelerate partnerships — often between a producer, an ag-tech company, and a CSU researcher ­­— to solve those problems,” Lambert said of the Ag Innovation Center at CSU Spur.

After talking with farmers and ranchers in Colorado, Lambert reports their top expressed concerns start with the fact that “consumers don’t understand us,” followed by water inconsistency, labor shortages, noxious weeds, pests, and diseases.

The work at CSU Spur strives to connect urban and rural communities by bringing awareness and appreciation of the food system, water, and health to a broad audience, engaging the next generation in various careers, and creating innovation to serve rural communities, according to the university.

The Ag Innovation Center produces a regular Offal Newsletter — with a sign-up available online at col.st/c1ka8 — and has curated an Offal People Directory. The directory, with more than 250 listings, helps to match needs and facilitate connections for producers, processors, agricultural technology companies, and retail brands.

FINDING OPPORTUNITY Cook at Winnie Lou and other advocates believe Colorado products made with nutritionally dense offal can create a domino effect for consumer demand. One key is for consumers to try an offal dish prepared well by a talented chef.

Chef mentor Jay McCarthy, who works for Destination Hospitality in Steamboat Springs, agrees that the enjoyment of offal depends on experienced preparation and cooking Jessie Magalit, a CSU student majoring in apparel design and production, wears a garment she made for the Genuine Leather Fashion Show during the 2025 Offal Party. The design incorporates leather and thrifted or repurposed materials.

Photo courtesy of Colorado State University

Colorado Country Life

January 2026 17

FEATURE STORY skills. For example, beef tongue tacos or burritos at a local taqueria may leave the flavor of iron in a diner’s mouth.

McCarthy said the trick when cooking softer meats such as tongue, liver, or heart is to use garlic, red wine, or red wine vinegar to break down the aftertaste of iron.

Colorado entrepreneurs are producing more products using offal, or livestock McCarthy enjoys menudo, offcuts, such as this niche product of top-dollar hair-on-cowhide purses from a traditional Mexican soup BuxieJo, a small business in Denver. Photo courtesy of Colorado State University Spur made with beef tripe, the edible competition in January 2025. muscle lining of a cow’s stomach. His favorite way to The skincare entrepreneur uses nutrient-dense cook offal at home uses beef tripe from Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Co. in Craig to marinate, roll on a skewer, suet found around the kidneys of Colorado grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised organic cattle then and grill. Chef Sandoval said some of his favored offal slowly triple renders the suet into tallow to make skin dishes include chanfaina stew, beef liver mousse, or hydration creams infused with herbs. “When people beef cheek barbacoa. experience it on their skin, they usually say, ‘Wow, it Price is another factor pushing more consumfeels like my own skin,’” Bricmont said. “People are ers and chefs to try offal, said McCarthy. “The finally getting fed up with all of the synthetic chemcuts that we all know and love are getting more icals, fillers, and seed oils in products. I could not be and more expensive, so people are exploring the happier to see ‘tallow’ is a buzzword and that people options,” he noted. “A lot of the options are popular in are curious about what they are putting on and in other countries.” their bodies.”

Another way to rope in consumers to the offal world is through sampling at farmers markets, a BALANCING COST AND USE traditional venue used by startup agricultural-based In her role at CSU since January 2023, Lambert small businesses. combines her agricultural background and her busiKatie Bricmont, owner and founder of Wild Melts ness expertise. She grew up on a dairy farm in rural in Fort Collins, grew sales by enticing consumers to northeastern Colorado and later earned an MBA from try her tallow-based skin care products at the Larimer County Farmers Market. Bricmont then gained a boost Harvard Business School. Lambert explained that for ranchers and cattle feeders to break even, they need in confidence and sales by presenting at a business markets for more parts of the animal, beyond the muscle meat that most U.S. consumers are accustomed to purchasing.

Libby Christensen, a statewide food and ag specialist for CSU Extension, said the higher cost of standard beef cuts at grocery stores may not benefit cattle ranchers financially. “The processing costs if you are just going to sell the standard cuts, it’s really hard to pencil out,” said Christensen. “Often times, when we see a high cost for a filet mignon, it often is not covering the cost to get that steak to your plate. If you are able to create a Wild Melts skincare company displays tallowbased products at the 2025 CSU Spur Offal Party.

Photo courtesy of Colorado State University

18 January 2026

Colorado Country Life

FEATURE STORY market for offal, it can help producers actually make a profit from the filet.”

Some ranchers are looking for creative solutions to market offal products directly to consumers, Christensen said, such as cattle companies in northeastern Colorado offering online consumers an “offal box” of off-choice cuts such as liver, beef tongue, and oxtail. Yet, Christensen believes the most growth in offal sales is from the pet industry. She, for example, likes to feed her dogs dehydrated chicken liver and lungs from a local poultry farm.

“For livestock producers who are creative and help facilitate the relationship with processors for their offal product to be used in pet food, it reduces the cost of processing,” Christensen said. “Now some producers are specifically asking to keep these cuts and fat to reduce the ‘cut loss.’ The increased interest and demand for tallow-based products both for cooking and beauty has created a cottage industry of smallscale tallow manufacturers.”

Leather hides of animals processed for meat can become a valuable and long-lasting material but often end up as waste, Lambert said, noting that roughly 4.8 million cattle hides rotted in U.S. landfills in 2020. She advocates for “nose to tail” use in both the fashion and food industries.

Lambert added that even a small-scale meat company that processes 10 head of cattle a day can produce 696,800 pounds of offal and hide in one year.

“We can put to use every aspect of that animal down

to the hoof,” Lambert said. She said 56% of a cow by weight is commonly used in the U.S., so 44% goes to waste. “If you’re going to kill this animal for muscle meat, use the whole animal, which also includes its organ meat and the hide,” she continued. Lambert believes that within five years waste percentage in Colorado could drop to 35%-40%.

As part of her efforts to help change these statistics, Lambert has spearheaded an annual offal party at CSU Spur, which is housed on the National Western Center complex in Denver. The party welcomes people who want to be part of a regenerative, circular food system including foodies, ranchers and cattle feeders, fashionistas, pet owners, processors, and entrepreneurs.

This year’s community offal party with the theme Future Cowboy is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, January 25. The party will feature a fashion show with CSU students modeling Western-inspired clothes or accessories made from genuine leather.

Dishes made from bison, beef, and pork offal created by chef Edwin Sandoval from Xatrucho Concepts in Denver will also be offered. Other party activities will include product displays from vendors, short educational talks, and line dancing lessons. More information and tickets are available online at CSUspur.org/spur-events.

Suzie Romig is a degreed, award-winning journalist who lives near Steamboat Springs and has lived, worked and explored in Colorado since 1990.

2026 COMMUNITY OFFAL PARTY: FUTURE COWBOY SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2026

1-6 P.M. Apron photo by Steve Bacon/Photodisc via Getty Images Beef cuts graphic by FoxysGraphic/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

CSU AG INNOVATION CENTER 4817 NATIONAL WESTERN DRIVE DENVER, CO 80216 Future Cowboy is a bold celebration of the role of cattle in food, fashion, and the circular economy. This one-of-a-kind event fuses culinary creativity, fashion innovation, ag technology, and sustainability science into an unforgettable afternoon that invites you to rethink what it means for ranchers, foodies, and fashionistas to honor our cattle with technology and tradition.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: January 22, 2026.

Visit CSUspur.org/spur-events for tickets.

Colorado Country Life

January 2026

19

INDUSTRY

Co-ops Lead on Wildfire Mitigation Policy Lawmakers consider statewide action

By Taylor Ward CREA Director of Government Relations

W

ildfire has become one of the most serious threats facing Colorado’s rural and suburban communities. Electric cooperatives are responding with detailed planning, stronger systems, innovation, and close collaboration with fire agencies and local governments.

As the General Assembly considers wildfire policy this session, co-op leaders agree that it is time for statewide action. Their message is clear: Electric co-ops are doing everything they can to reduce wildfire risk, but current law leaves their consumer-members vulnerable to devastating financial impacts that could ripple across entire communities.

Colorado’s electric co-ops have spent years building wildfire mitigation plans grounded in field experience, engineering data, and close coordination with local officials. These plans are comprehensive. They guide vegetation management practices and schedules, inspections, investment in new technology such as artificial intelligence, targeted undergrounding of power lines where feasible, and operational changes during high-risk conditions.

At Falcon-based Mountain View Electric Association, the plan reflects collaboration across the entire cooperative. “Our Wildfire Mitigation Plan was built through a true team effort across several departments: engineering, operations, safety, mapping, communications, and leadership,” MVEA Chief Executive Officer Ruth Marks said. “To develop the plan, we relied on a wildfire risk model, detailed infrastructure data, years of inspection and outage records, and new tools like

20 January 2026

satellite vegetation scans and drone imagery.”

Highline Electric Association’s approach followed the same principle. General Manager Dennis Herman said the Holyoke-based cooperative assembled a cross functional team and reviewed plans from other Colorado co-ops to identify proven practices. “We developed the outline of our plan by utilizing the components that were most relevant to our service area and the communities we serve,” Herman said. “Our Wildfire Mitigation Plan supports our mission to provide safe, affordable, and reliable energy to our members.”

Sangre de Cristo Electric Association, based in Buena Vista, is formalizing its plan this year. “It will outline everything we are already doing and the tools we use to monitor fire risk,” SDCEA Chief Executive Officer Jon Beyer said. “Our chief operations officer, our line superintendent, and I are developing it together to ensure it reflects the realities of our fivecounty service territory.”

THE CHALLENGE Even with strong mitigation efforts and detailed plans, electric co-ops cannot eliminate every risk. One spark in extreme conditions can cause damage far beyond what a consumer-owned utility can absorb. Unlike Colorado Country Life

INDUSTRY Photo at left: Mountain View Electric Association’s tree-trimming crew meets to develop a workplan for a trimming project in Black Forest. Vegetation management is an important part of the Falconbased electric co-op’s comprehensive and multipronged Wildfire Mitigation Plan. Photo by Avery Parson

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONNECT WITH LEGISLATORS Reaching out to your lawmakers is one of the most effective ways to make sure your voice is heard at the Capitol. Here are simple steps to make your outreach meaningful and memorable.

Ruth Marks, MVEA Chief Executive Officer

Jon Beyer, SDCEA Chief Executive Officer

Dennis Herman, HEA General Manager

investor-owned utilities, co-ops do not have large shareholder reserves, and when a cooperative faces unexpected costs, those costs fall directly on families, farms, and small businesses.

This is a public policy gap that needs attention and one that lawmakers will be considering in the 2026 session. We at CREA are working with our 22 member cooperatives to seek reasonable, bipartisan solutions that continue to ensure accountability for negligence, while recognizing responsible mitigation work and protecting co-ops and their consumer-members from unpredictable financial harm.

The goal of the legislation is simple: Address the financial risk co-ops face if their electric infrastructure unintentionally ignites a wildfire, and create a fair, predictable framework that protects consumer-members.

It is important to note that none of the large wildfires in recent memory were caused by co-op equipment, yet co-ops remain fully exposed under current state liability laws.

THE COST OF INACTION “Reasonable damage limits that protect electric co-ops’ ability to serve their communities are extremely important,” Beyer said. “Most co-ops are one spark away from potential bankruptcy when it comes to a major fire.” He added that the financial stakes for the communities electric co-ops serve cannot be ignored. “All expenses, whether it be insurance costs or settlement awards, would be paid for by the consumer-members of a cooperative. This directly affects the affordability of our service.”

Marks explained why co-ops are asking for clear statutory standards. “Under current Colorado law, a co-op can be held fully liable for a wildfire even when it followed every reasonable mitigation step,” she said. “A single event could bankrupt a cooperative or force significant rate increases. Fair and predictable standards that recognize mitigation work protect our members and support responsible operation.”

Lead with respect and understanding.

Legislators and their staff carry heavy workloads, so a courteous tone and a simple acknowledgment of their time will set the right foundation. Even when you disagree on a policy, remember they are working to solve a problem, and your perspective can help them get it right.

Keep your message clear and personal.

Focus on the heart of the issue, why it matters to you, and how it affects your community or electric co-op. A short personal story often carries more weight than policy jargon.

Explain your position and the impact.

Help lawmakers understand how a proposal influences safety, affordability, or reliability, in your region. Sharing realworld examples is powerful.

Do a little prep work. Knowing a legislator’s district or committee assignment helps you frame your perspective in a way that resonates with their priorities.

Build ongoing relationships. Advocacy is strongest when it stretches beyond a single meeting. Attend town halls, introduce yourself at community events, and stay connected throughout the year.

Close the loop. After the conversation, send a brief thank-you message that reiterates your key points and keeps the relationship moving forward.

Engaging with legislators is about sharing your story and showing how policy decisions shape life in Colorado. When members speak up, it helps protect safe, affordable, reliable power for communities across the state.

continued on page 22 Colorado Country Life

January 2026

21

INDUSTRY continued from page 21

Insurance pressures add another layer of urgency for every co-op and its members. “Wildfire affects our ability to obtain affordable insurance coverage,” Herman said. “Legislation has the potential to improve our ability to provide affordable service.”

Co-op leaders also view the legislative conversation as an opportunity to educate policymakers about issues that truly impact their communities. “This legislation creates an opportunity for legislators to learn more about the cooperative business model, our collective wildfire mitigation efforts, and the communities we serve,” Beyer said.

As lawmakers consider proposals, co-ops are staying focused on their mission. “By limiting the risk of catastrophic financial losses and providing clear guidelines, legislation supports our ability to provide reliable and affordable electricity,” Marks said.

Herman pointed to the long-term value of ongoing mitigation work. “Implementing a wildfire mitigation plan increases reliability by reducing risks and damages.

Every dollar saved on insurance is a dollar saved by our members or invested back into the system,” he said.

Herman added that most people do not think of the Eastern Plains as a place where sweeping wildfires are prominent, but it is still a requirement to have a mitigation plan to maintain insurability.

COOPERATION AMONG COOPERATIVES The sixth cooperative principle, Cooperation Among Cooperatives, remains one of the core strengths of Colorado’s cooperative utilities. Beyer said unity is essential. “It will take our collective voice to educate policymakers, the public, and other stakeholders about the importance of this legislation. That will be the key in getting this across the finish line.”

Marks said working together is critical for lawmakers to understand the statewide stakes. “No single co-op can advance major policy changes alone,” she said. “But together, Colorado’s electric co-ops represent 1.5 million consumers and a significant portion of Colorado’s electric infrastructure.”

CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY Local partnerships also matter. Co-ops coordinate closely with fire districts, emergency management agencies, and local government leaders to align planning and response strategies. “We collaborate to protect the people and the assets of the communities we serve,” Beyer said. Herman added that mitigation techniques, such as when to de-energize lines, must be made with local firefighting needs in mind.

“De-energizing lines may not be the best course of action,” Herman said. “There have been instances

22 January 2026

MVEA’s tree trimmer clears branches that are growing close to power lines. The co-op prioritizes tree trimming in fireprone areas as one measure of prevention. Crews are able to determine areas in need of vegetation management based on a combination of satellite imagery, artificial intelligence tools, routine line inspections, and field assessments.

Photo by Avery Parson

in recent years where firefighters depended on water pumped from local wells to put out a fire.”

Marks said community conversations help make the plan stronger. “We review high-risk areas, discuss operational protocols, and align our planning with emergency response strategies,” she said. MVEA also conducts direct outreach through community meetings and safety education.

CALL TO ACTION The legislative session begins January 14, and electric co-op leaders encourage all consumer-members to stay involved. “Stay informed and communicate with your legislators,” Marks said. “Even a simple email explaining why safe, reliable, and affordable electricity matters to you, your family, or your business can make a difference.” Herman encouraged members to reach out to their local co-op for updates and resources.

Co-op leaders hope lawmakers end the session with a practical, bipartisan policy that reflects both the risks and the progress already made. Beyer summarized it simply: “We are working together to find answers to this extreme risk.” Marks underscored the broader picture. “Co-ops are leading the way on wildfire mitigation, yet current liability laws leave co-op members and rural communities financially exposed,” she said.

“Balanced reform will allow us to continue this work without jeopardizing affordability or stability.”

Herman added the bottom line: “Wildfire legislation is a commonsense approach that will improve our ability to provide affordable, reliable service to our members.”

Colorado’s electric cooperatives are positioned and ready to keep investing in, innovating for, and partnering with the communities they serve. With thoughtful action from state leaders, the state can take a meaningful step toward reducing wildfire risk and protecting the people who call Colorado home.

Colorado Country Life

WE WORK YEAR-ROUND TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK Living in the rural West comes with undeniable wildfire risk, but it’s a fight we’re facing head-on.

At Tri-State G&T, we deploy data-driven monitoring and wildfire mitigation strategies to identify and mitigate risk to protect our communities and the critical infrastructure they rely on. We’ll do anything within our power to protect the people and places our members call home.

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Scan to learn more or visit www.tristate.coop/wildfire

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board

RECIPES

Recipe courtesy of Carolyn Bloomfield Photo by Kylee Coleman

A Pop of Energy Recipes courtesy of The Popcorn Board

P

opcorn is a delicious and versatile snack. It is a whole grain that provides energy-producing complex carbohydrates and nutrients including zinc and B vitamins. It also contributes fiber to your diet for a satisfying treat that helps you feel fuller longer.

And with only 31 calories per cup of air-popped popcorn, it will not derail your New Year’s resolution to get healthy.

These tasty and clever recipes are easy to make, fun to eat, and are perfect for yummy snacking any time of day For nutrition facts, visit popcorn.org.

POPCORN GRANOLA SNACK BARS INGREDIENTS Nonstick cooking spray ½ cup honey ⅔ cup peanut butter

1 cup granola cereal 1 cup salted roasted peanuts 3 cups popped popcorn

INSTRUCTIONS Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat honey until boiling. Stir in peanut butter until well blended.

Remove pan from heat and stir in granola, peanuts, and popcorn until coated.

Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Refrigerate until cool; cut into bars to serve.

Makes 16 bars.

24 January 2026

Colorado Country Life

RECIPES

CRANBERRY AND CHOCOLATE SPICED POPCORN INGREDIENTS 8 cups popped popcorn

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup dried cranberries

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

4 oz dark chocolate, melted

1 ½ tbsp coconut oil, melted

½ tsp coarse sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS In large bowl, toss together popcorn, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, coconut oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Lay mixture flat on a parchment paper-lined tray. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.

Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or until chocolate sets. Break apart into chunks.

Makes 8 cups.

PIZZA POPCORN INGREDIENTS 24 cups popped popcorn

2 tsp garlic salt

olive oil cooking spray

2 tsp paprika

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS Place popcorn in a large, sealable plastic container or in a 2 ½ gallon plastic sealable bag.

Spray popcorn lightly with cooking spray.

Sprinkle cheese, garlic salt, paprika, and Italian seasoning over popcorn and shake to distribute evenly.

To serve, scoop popcorn into individual bowls.

Makes 24 cups.

Colorado Country Life

January 2026

25

GETAWAY

CREEDE Winter Wonderland

By Becky Jensen

Whether you’re looking to explore quiet trails through snow-frosted forests, hunker down with a good book and the perfect latte, or experience full-throttle adventure in the backcountry, January can be a wonderful time to visit Creede — a best-kept secret in the stunning service territory of San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative.

Nestled in the San Juan Mountains at the headwaters of the Rio Grande, Creede is located northwest of South Fork on the Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway — Highway 149 — in Mineral County.

HIT THE POWDER

THINGS TO DO INSIDE

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

If you love snowmobiling, contact the Snow Country Explorers Club for local maps and insider tips, or take a multiday advanced workshop with the pros at Mountain Skillz. For downhill skiers and snowboarders, hit the slopes at nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area, where lift tickets are relatively affordable and the terrain offers options for all skill levels.

If sledding, snowshoeing, or Nordic skiing is more your speed, pick up a winter-use trail map from the Creede Visitor Center for a list of good routes.

During winter months, the famous Creede Repertory Theatre hosts its popular movie night every Friday at 7 p.m. Visit creederep.org to see what’s playing. Or learn about the town’s colorful mining history on a selfguided audio tour of the Creede Underground Mining Museum, blasted out of solid rock by local miners. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 719-658-0811 for more info.

In the morning, take a brisk walk to earn your pastries at Coffee on the Fly coffee shop on Main Street. For lunch, devour delicious sandwiches made from in-house smoked barbecue at Tommyknocker Tavern on Wall Street. At the end of the day, Kip’s Grill on Fifth Street is the go-to place for dinner, serving signature burgers, fresh salads, baja-style tacos, hearty enchilada plates, and top-shelf margaritas. Be sure to confirm winter hours for each eatery before you head over.

Photo of Grandma’s Meadow Snowshoeing, by Bob Seago, courtesy of Creede Chamber of Commerce.

26 January 2025

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Because many businesses in Creede close or have limited hours during the offseason, contact the Creede Visitor Center at 719-658-2374 or office@creede.com to help plan your winter trip.

Colorado Country Life

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28 January 2026

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Colorado Country Life

THE FIND

Made for the Mountain

By Kylee Coleman Editor

Ski and snowboard season is in full swing, and there is no better time to highlight companies creating smart, durable gear for every kind of rider. This month, we round up Colorado-made essentials built for cold mornings, fresh powder, and bluebird days. Whether you’re heading to your favorite local hill or planning a weekend getaway, these products are ready for the ride.

VENTURE SNOWBOARDS

With a factory in Silverton, product research and development is easy for Klem Branner and his team at Venture Snowboards. Each snowboard and splitboard is crafted and tested by boarders: They go “from prototype to pow” just by walking out the factory’s front door to the slopes.

Founded by Branner in 1999, Venture Snowboards still operates on the principle of minimizing their impact on the environment. Their handcrafted boards are durable, designed to be repairable, and have timeless shapes and graphics. Their production process includes dye-sublimated topsheets printed with water-based ink and a bio-based epoxy. Look for a Venture snowboard at your local independent snowboard shop, or visit venturesnowboards.com for their current lineup.

AKINZ

In 2005, Suzanne Akin started a passion project creating comfortable clothes that she could wear while doing her favorite outdoor activities. Akinz began with tank tops, T-shirts, and hats. And when she moved to Steamboat Springs, she expanded her brand by hand crocheting beanies for local ski and snowboard instructors. Today, most of Akinz’s beanies are made on hand-operated knitting machines, and each piece is hand-finished before it goes to consumers.

Shop Akinz’s beanies and more at their brick-and-mortar store in downtown Fort Collins and online at akinz.com. Or find a store near you that carries Akinz gear — akinz.com/pages/store-locator.

VOORMI

Like the Colorado brand’s other outdoor gear, Voormi wool mittens are designed and produced with innovation. The fabric is locally engineered and tested to be comfortable and durable. These mittens are ultra warm, blocking wind and shedding water thanks to a durable water repellent finish. Find base layers, gaiters, and more at voormi.com, or visit their store in Pagosa Springs.

Colorado Country Life

January 2026

29

READER PHOTOS

Poudre Valley REA members Sue Conry and Vicki Duneman bring a copy of the magazine to Eagle, Wisconsin, while visiting family. They had wonderful days hiking the Ice Age Trail.

Gina Mattivi takes a break from an amazing vacation at the Disney Aulani Resort and Spa on the Hawaiian island of Oahu to say “Aloha” to CCL.

Robert and Pam Forsha, Morgan County REA members, visit the Dominican Republic where they met with some old friends and enjoyed time at Secrets Royal Beach resort.

The Zimmer family, Sangre de Cristo Electric members, take a moment at a Christmas market in Dortmund, Germany, to snap a selfie with their copy of CCL.

Poudre Valley REA member Ted Noonan and his crew of friends spend time in London and pause their adventure to get a photo with their copy of the magazine.

PACK. Show us your SNAP. adventures with the magazine SHARE. for a chance

WIN!

Virginia Pena enjoys the festive God Jul lights and decor while visiting the Christmas market stalls in Stockholm, Sweden. Virginia, a Mountain View Electric Association member, says, “I’m thankful that MVEA keeps the Christmas lights going back home in Colorado!”

to WIN $25.

Upload your photo with CCL at coloradocountrylife.coop.

Find more reader photos on Facebook @COCountryLife and Instagram @cocountrylife.

Empire Electric Association members Anita and Daniel Fernandez visit Greenland with their copy of CCL.

30 January 2026

Bode and Miller Fust bring their copy of the magazine on a tour of Generator Hall at Niagara Falls Power Station, located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The Fusts are members of Highline Electric Association.

Colorado Country Life

Concern for Community

Colorado’s electric co-ops prepare for Light Up Navajo VII This year, eight Colorado electric co-ops will travel to Navajo Nation for the third year in a row. From these eight co-ops, 10 linecrews are schedule to participate in Light Up Navajo VII between May and the end of June.

Light Up Navajo is a mutual aid effort started by the American Public Power Association and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority to bring electricity to Navajo families’ homes. The initiative is a prime example of the seventh cooperative principle — Concern for Community — in action.

More than 10,000 Navajo citizens live without any electricity at home. They do not have access to running water, modern heating and cooling, or refrigeration.

Last year, Colorado co-op crews set power poles, strung power lines, and installed meters. Their work, alongside other utility crews who traveled from coast to coast, connected about 200 homes to the grid.

Thanks, in part, to Colorado Country Life readers’ donations, each Navajo home a Colorado crew electrified in 2025 received a refrigerator or an airconditioning unit.

This year we are again collecting donations with the goal of gifting an electric household item to each home a Colorado crew connects to the grid.

Visit crea.coop to find more information about Colorado’s electric cooperatives’ participation in Light Up Navajo.

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