Dear Friends,
Thank you for your interest; as part of the process of getting to know each other, let me tell you a little about High Desert Foods. For a number of years we had a small 42 acre, 9,000 fruit tree, organic orchard and vegetable farm (www.kiva-orchard.com). In what is becoming an all too familiar story among many farmers, growing climate change led to increasingly uneven weather patterns which severely impacted our farm operations. We have been unable to continue farming.
However before we quit farming, we added a processing component to our operation which has been very successful. It has focused on making use of fruit and vegetables from other smaller farms throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. For small scale farmers who are trying to compete in an economy that values food for how cheaply it can be produced, the ecological principle of “in stability there is stability” translates into two strategies: first, having a diverse crop mix; and second, turning some portion of the harvest into “shelf-stable” products. At High Desert Foods we give great attention to transforming high quality ingredients into something extra special. We do this with the same passion for quality that we had for growing our own fruit and vegetables.
High Desert Foods is located in Dolores in Southwest Colorado . Dolores is a small town of under 1,000 people on the Dolores River with a National Scenic Highway running through it and is half way between bustling Durango and picturesque Telluride with Mesa Verde National Park easily visible in the distance. At 7,000 ft. elevation, Dolores sits on the edge of the mountains and the nearby canyon country for which the Southwest is equally well known.
In the close connection between small scale farms and ranches and our processing operation, we are the next link in the chain that connects the food we eat to the original producer. The survival of small scale farms in part depends on shifting the marketing focus from a commodity mentality to a more diverse mix. Adding value to fresh farm products is an important element in an alternative marketing model.
We have direct relationships with a broad mix of farms. We have developed many different ways people can be involved with High Desert Foods. In addition to a growing mix of shelf stable items we will be starting a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that links a number of small farm operations and consumers. Our CSA will be an unusual mix of farm fresh products, shelf stable products, and prepared foods. Our marketing also includes attending several farmers markets in the area.
Our primary mission is making an array of food products using ingredients that come directly from small scale farms and ranches. We are firmly grounded in the culinary side of food as it moves from the farm to the table. That said we also weave into this mix the direct marketing of fresh farm products directly to the consumer.
We need volunteers/interns/apprentices that have an interest in what happens to farm products once they leave the farm. Making a wide array of finished products and prepared foods is the core focus of what we do. In addition to a love of cooking and baking, we are looking for people who enjoy connecting directly with small scale farms and consumers. And equally important is the fulfillment that can come from working with others in a group cooperative experience.
We can offer shared housing (non-smoking) for up to six people on the Dolores River . You would share a kitchen and prepare meals with your housemates as you work together, sharing housekeeping responsibilities. A computer and internet access is provided. A bicycle is a good way to get around locally. We have allowed company vehicles to be used for errands after establishing trust and confidence.
Volunteers work half time in exchange for meaningful food production and marketing experience, housing and food, and the opportunity to visit the surrounding area.
Interns work full time for experience, training, housing and food.
Apprentices work more than full time for experience, greater responsibility on specific projects/tasks, training, housing and food. Previous experience is needed that demonstrates competence and commitment.
Some find the distance from big city amenities more of a challenge than they had anticipated. Some miss home and retreat before discovering and creating a new home here with co-workers, volunteers, CSA members and the farming community. A few have constrained their awareness so tightly that work is simply viewed in terms of dollars and have become blinded to the learning and personal growth opportunities abounding here.
I look forward to hearing from you and invite you to contact me with any questions you may have. Please feel free to email me at: orders@highdesertfoods.com Our main office number is 970 882-0174 or I can be reached at my home office at 970 882-5421.
Best Wishes,
Bill Manning
High Desert Foods
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