Growing up in a ranching family in the Gunnison Valley, I learned early that agriculture is about more than raising livestock or growing hay. It's about resilience, community, and helping your neighbors. Those same values guide our work at CSU Extension.
Last week, I was able to present our CSU Extension 2026 Year in Review to the Board of County Commissioners. It was a wonderful opportunity to highlight just how much our small but mighty team does!
Our mission is simple: bring Colorado State University's research, expertise and practical resources directly to the Gunnison Valley.
This year, we supported 174 youth in the 4-H program (and supported all their events), offered numerous calving clinics and agricultural workshops, and secured seeding equipment to help producers improve drought resilience, among many other things.
But here's something you might not know: CSU Extension isn't just for ranchers and farmers! We help homeowners, gardeners and families navigate the unique challenges of living in our mountain environment. From our Master Gardener and Native Bee Watch programs to sustainable landscaping, pest and weed identification, and food safety education, we're a resource for everyone.
This year, we hosted a Wildfire Mitigation Workshop in collaboration with the Gunnison Conservation District and other partners that attracted more than 100 participants. We're also renovating our demonstration garden at the Fairgrounds thanks to a $10,000 grant, and, we offer testing resources, site visits and practical advice to help residents solve everyday challenges.
Right now, that assistance is especially important. Drought, changing weather patterns, shifting federal policies, and economic uncertainty are creating new challenges, particularly for our agricultural community. Producers are drawing on generations of experience while responding to changing conditions. We're here to help them navigate those changes with science-based information, practical tools and connections to additional resources.
We also recognize that these challenges take an emotional toll. Through CSU Extension, we can connect agricultural families with confidential mental health resources, including counseling and specialized support for farmers and ranchers, who are eligible for 10 FREE sessions – just go to https://campforhealth.org to get started.
Whether you're managing a multigenerational ranch, starting your first garden, working to protect your property from wildfire, raising a 4-H animal, or simply wondering what that strange weed is in your yard, we're here for you!
Visit us at our offices in the Fred Field Center at the Gunnison County Fairgrounds, or call 970-641-7627. You can find out more at extension.colostate.edu/gunnison.
We're your neighbors, and helping this community thrive is why we're here.
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