Beth brings many years of experience in agriculture to the Old Fort at Hesperus. After serving as an instructor in the FLC Agriculture and Biology Department for 17 years and a researcher for a Colorado State University Agriculture Experiment Station, she became the Coordinator of the Old Fort at Hesperus in 2010. Her current duties include day to day operations; financial management of cattle, hay and sustainable agriculture enterprises; coordinating FLC and community uses; conducting research projects and identifying new activities for the property.
The Old Fort Market Garden Incubator program began in 2012 as the first one in Colorado. With the assistance of National Incubator Farm Training Initiative (NIFTI), the Old Fort developed a trial incubator program. Because technical assistance was so critical to the early success of our program, Beth offers expertise to regional programs who are interested in duplicating our incubator and farmer training model.
Contact Beth 970-247-7189- Campus office 970-385-4574- Hesperus office Email Beth
Elicia began her farming journey at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in California over 10 years ago and has been at the Old Fort since 2015. “I farm because I love the sense of power in doing physical tasks together. In a world where so much work happens digitally, it’s refreshing and important to help people experience the power of their own bodies transforming the ground and coaxing food from the fields. Growing at 7600 feet is challenging, but I love the creativity involved in adjusting the farm plan every year in order to grow as much diverse and delicious food as possible for the community.” Elicia holds a bachelor’s in Environmental Analysis from Pomona College and a master’s in Geography from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Mancos with her daughter and husband, where they let dandelions take over their yard alongside a few apple trees, herbs and flowers.
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After graduating from Cortez High School, Dan attended Fort Lewis College where he received an AA in Agriculture. He worked for Colorado State University as a Research Associate until 2010, when he became Fort Lewis College staff. In addition to his duties at the Old Fort at Hesperus, Dan owns a ranch in Mancos where he runs 80 cows.
970-385-4574 - Hesperus office
Duke grew up in Taos, New Mexico and moved to Durango, CO in 2012 to attend Fort Lewis College, where he gained a BA in Environmental Studies. In 2015, Duke began volunteering at the small vegetable garden and orchard on FLC’s campus. This experience sparked his passion for agriculture, which has only grown since then. Duke has been consistently involved in food and farming in the Southwest over the past five years. He has worked on multiple farms in the region, designed and managed the campus Food Forest at FLC, participated in the incubator program at the Old Fort, and currently is the owner of Sol Vista Farm LLC, located in Mancos, CO. Apart from farming, you may find him rambling through thick alpine forests while searching for edible mushrooms, taking sunset ski laps at Hesperus, or compiling playlists of eclectic music and sharing them with friends.
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Autumn is an Indigenous farmer, originally from Wisconsin. She is Menominee, Oneida, and Stockbridge-Munsee. Autumn moved to Colorado in 2016 to attend Fort Lewis College for Environmental Studies. She grew up near farms in the Midwest, but never thought she would become a farmer. Autumn fell in love with farming as an Old Fort intern in 2019. In 2020, she traveled and worked on farms along the way. In 2021, she helped start Tatras Farm, a local veggie operation. This growing season we have her back as a Field Assistant and the Market Manager for our stand at Durango Farmer's Market.