The Colorado Peach Company, located in Fort Collins, CO started as a produce retailer/distributor in 2017. This year we are expanding into a 10 acre regenerative certified Organic mixed fruit & vegetable farm in Paonia, CO.
We currently specialize in fresh Organic tree-ripened peaches and other local produce. Our current retail outlets are farmers' markets & produce stands, as well as wholesale distributors & independent produce retailers. We also offer fundraising with boxes of peaches for non-profits and other organizations.
This new Organic 10-acre site will produce a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to supply our primary distribution partner, Fresh Start Produce in Denver, CO. Last year, one of the largest distributors of Organic produce in Denver was acquired by a national distributor. They no longer specialize in Organic, leaving an opportunity to expand and serve Denver’s Organic market. We are also considering other farmers' markets and restaurants in the nearby towns such as Aspen and Steamboat Springs.
Use of Funds
This is the second part of a two-part loan with Steward. The first round of capital covered the deposit and secured the property. Payments on this initial $8,000 loan began in January of 2021.
Now that we’ve secured the property, this second round of funding will cover the nuts and bolts of building the farm. Costs include:
- Seed-starting greenhouse
- Holding pond for mountain snow-melt & spring-fed irrigation water
- Water-saving drip irrigation system (a must in the semi-arid Rocky Mountain region)
- Field preparation with organic soil amendments & microbial inoculants
- Certified Organic seed & plant stock
- Spring farm labor (planting, weeding, etc.)
- Wash / pack shed for sorting & packing produce post-harvest
- Walk-in cooler to keep produce at peak freshness
- Basic loading dock setup
- Initial spring overhead (Insurance, farm rent, utilities, etc.
Regenerative Agriculture Practices
Healthy plants come from a balanced living soil food web. Our primary focus at Colorado Peach Co is the feeding and regeneration of the soil.
- Regeneration of soil is achieved using microbial inoculants and mineral supplements.
- The microbial inoculants drastically increase the amount of nutrients available to the plant in a usable form.
- Healthy, well-mineralized, well-hydrated plants are far less prone to issues from pests or disease.
- Healthy plants grown in healthy soil results in produce that is high-quality, nutrient-dense, high brix, and absolutely delicious.
Steward Comments
Steward is excited to support The Colorado Peach Company as they prepare for the 2021 season and serve even more customers in the Fort Collins, CO area. The only thing better than fresh peaches is fresh peaches in Colorado!
