Why Certified Organic

Photo depicts an up close image of apricot blossoms with three bees pollinating them, Mt. Garfield is visible in the background. Photo Credits: Faith Burtness.

Maintaining a USDA organic certification is a detailed process, though it confirms our practices for you as a consumer.  We use organic and no-till growing practices in our orchards to preserve the natural defenses (example: beneficial insects), the ground cover in the orchard, and the micro-biome to attempt to maintain a balance between our farms and the surrounding environment.  These practices allow us to use less water and inputs during the growing season, and then we offer two grades of produce (Premiums & Seconds) to reduce waste and provide cost savings for those that are cooking with our produce.  Premiums are beautiful for fresh eating and gifts while our seconds are "cosmetically challenged" fruits and vegetables that are great for making pies, jams and other dishes or drinks. Regardless of your preference, our family farms are inspected annually by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, to ensure that only inputs that are approved for organic growing practices are used.