Agricultural Uses
The Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property supports a working agricultural operation; a subset of the property (about 37 acres) is currently leased for livestock grazing, vegetable farming and hay production. It is considered agricultural land of statewide significance and is uniquely suited to support diversified vegetable production.
At the time of acquisition, Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) staff identified the need to continue active agricultural operations in order to preserve the property’s agricultural, water resources, and natural values. Therefore, an initial short-term agricultural lease was entered into after acquisition. Subsequent to the initial lease, OSMP accepted proposals for longer-term agricultural management that resulted in a lease with a neighboring agricultural operation that grows a variety of vegetables, livestock, poultry, bees and fruit. The current lease is set to expire on December 31, 2023.
The property has a long history of agricultural production…
George Chambers, who lived on the property from 1862 to 1882 was evidently a successful gardener, contributing the largest display of vegetables at the Boulder County Fair in 1881 (Affleck 2001: 18).
By the early 1890s, Albert M. Hunter was operating “Valmont Dairy” or the “Valmont Jersey Dairy” on the property (Rocky Mountain News 1890a, 1890b).
The Hummel family farmed the property from around 1920 until 2018; after an unsuccessful try at sugar beets, they mainly raised hay and corn (Mary Wells oral history).
Recent agricultural uses include...
Livestock Grazing
Ruminants, such as cattle, graze on grasses and weeds. When rotated through different paddocks and followed by other animals such as pigs and poultry, a Holistic Rotational Grazing plan can be accomplished which mimics how wild animals interact with fields cycling nutrients to improve the soil health.
Hay Production
The existing hayfields, with adequate irrigation and weather conditions, are able to produce up to 3 cuttings per year.
Honey
Floral resources and water on the property are optimal for honeybees.
Vegetables
Good soils in combination with more senior water rights allow for a variety of crops to be grown to maturity, including summer and winter squash, greens, tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas.
Unique within OSMP...
According to criteria established in OSMP's Agricultural Resources Management Plan, the Fort Chambers / Poor Farm property is one of only five properties in the OSMP system currently suitable for diversified vegetable production, meeting the following criteria:
- Appropriate soils: Prime farmland is land that has the ideal combination of physical and chemical traits that are necessary for producing food, feed and fiber (Natural Resources Conservation Service, n.d.). This includes resistance to erosion, permeability to air and water, limited slopes, and favorable temperature and length of growing season.
- Sufficient water: Both the quantity of water and the length of the irrigation season must be adequate to provide the moisture needed for season-long vegetable production.
- Adequate building infrastructure: On-farm outbuildings with water and electric service suitable for operational activities including washing, cooling and storing vegetables, as well as equipment, seed and material storage are required. Nearby affordable housing for the farm owner and their staff is also a prerequisite, due to the high cost of housing in the region and the relatively lower wages and profitability characteristic of these small operations.