PEOPLE AND PLACES
A national focus on food as preventative medicine. A desire to mitigate Telluride’s carbon footprint, of which 11% is attributable to food consumption per Telluride’s EcoAction Partners. A focus on supporting a future for nearby farmers and ranchers. Getting to know our farmers and ranchers to build community within a community. The clear advantage of retaining money in the local economy.
Foundation is addressing this paradox under the direction of April Montgomery, VP of Programs. “In the mining days of the late-1800s, the Paradox region provided the livestock, bread and fresh food for the miners in Telluride. Today, however, that connection is lost. The food we buy in grocery stores travels an average of 1,300 miles from remote farms to our tables. Most farmers and ranchers sell to collection points, such as grain and produce terminals or stockyards. The terminal or stockyard in turn sells to processing companies, which process and package the
Each of those factors feeds into another of the Telluride Foundation’s new programs: The Local Food Initiative.
The region has abundant water, a suitable climate for growing food, strong agricultural roots and an everpresent food culture, yet it is known as a food desert. Greenhouses in the Paradox region boast beautiful, fresh tomatoes, while 37 miles away, Telluride residents pay a small fortune for fresh tomatoes trucked in from hundreds of miles away. Currently, on average a head of lettuce travels 2,000 miles to get to Telluride stores. By helping to connect local food markets and coordinate existing, disparate local food efforts, the
To do that, Montgomery is spearheading a three-year strategy with the goal of promoting healthy living and economic development. As with the broadband initiative, the Foundation is assuming an oversight role with financial support to build on regional opportunities, coordinating existing programs and efforts in order to develop a sustainable, effective, and successful local food culture. In Norwood at least, it all began with Barclay and Tony Daranyi of Indian Ridge Farm & Bakery:
The region has market demand and the potential to promote farm-to-
grocery, school, and restaurant-totable opportunities. Due to the small scale of groceries in the area, there is a high likelihood grocers would be open to incorporating more locally grown produce and other crops. Local schools have shown an interest in buying local too. Finally, with a thriving tourism industry and second home sector in the area, there are many opportunities to promote farm-totable at local restaurants.
to communities and low-income populations. • Increase food security by encouraging local farming and educating the community about the benefits of supporting their local agricultural economy.
“Little did we realize when we
LOCA L FOOD INITIATIV E grow it and they will come Clockwise: Norwood F.R.E.S.H. Food Hub, Farm-to-table dinner at Indian Ridge Farm, Potato harvest Tony Daranyi & apprentice, Norwood Community Garden.
products we buy in our grocery stores. However, by connecting markets and tapping into the existing supply created by local farms and ranches, fresher, more nutrient rich food can be available in the food desert areas of our region, with the extra bonus of building a stronger local economy,” explains Montgomery, who sums up the goals of the Foundation’s food initiative as follows: • Support small producers and family farms by developing distribution and regional marketplace systems. • Create access to regional healthy food by supporting organizations, producers and farmers focusing on providing healthy, nutritious food
bought our Wright’s Mesa land in 1999 and gave birth to Indian Ridge Farm & Bakery that we would be launching a local food movement. Our vision was and still is to nurture the land and the community, building on the rich agricultural history of Wright’s Mesa,” explains Barclay Daranyi. Part of the Daranyis’ vision, in addition to growing food, raising grass-fed poultry and running a bakery, was nurturing 24 young farmers every season through their apprentice program. “We gave individuals with an interest in farming an opportunity to learn and develop skills in vegetable production,
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