Fall on the Midwest farm where I grew up meant pulling a 2-row corn picker with an ancient John Deere M. We kids groaned at it. We lusted after the new Uniharvester, or at least a tractor with a cab! Fall meant running the cattle and hogs in the corn stalks, digging the potatoes out of the garden, getting the apples into the cellar, eating the last watermelon right before the first frost, and the chance for a pheasant dinner with a side of #4 shot. If fall in the Midwest had a smell, it was lost to me in the dust coming off the conveyor as we shoveled ears of corn into the crib to dry over the winter.
In Colorado, the fall smells like green chile. That’s an upgrade.
Chiles are roasting at roadside farm stands, in community farmers’ markets and grocery store parking lots. And more than 150,000 people descended on Pueblo last weekend for the 30th annual Chile & Frijoles Festival, the unabashedly joyful celebration of the city’s history, culture, and agricultural roots.
Chiles have been grown in the American Southwest for centuries, but the Pueblo chile – a variety developed by CSU crop researchers and promoted by both scientists and alumni farmers from CSU Pueblo – is entirely distinctive to Pueblo and the Arkansas Valley.
With signature products like the Pueblo chile, Olathe sweet corn, Rocky Ford melons, Palisade peaches, and San Luis Valley potatoes, farmers across our state produce the food that colors our seasons and illustrates the flavors and rich geographical diversity of this beautiful state.
As we enjoy the bounty of the fall harvest, it’s a time to say “thank you” to all those who put local food on our table and keep our state’s agricultural economy strong. As a state, we export about $2 billion of agricultural products every year. We’re among the Top 10 U.S. producers of commodities, including cattle and calves, winter wheat, sheep and lambs, wool, alfalfa, potatoes, onions, apples, peaches, grapes, lemons – and proso millet, a vital ingredient in gluten-free foods.
This economic activity happens in every corner of our state and generates more than just jobs and family incomes. It is also intimately entwined with the health, culture, heritage, and sustainability of all our communities.
And behind that productivity is a remarkable spirit of innovation that often goes unseen. Producers are constantly exploring new methods, varieties, and scientific advances that can improve the productivity and sustainability of their operations.
As the state’s land-grant university system, we strive to support the industry in ways that add real value: conducting state-of-the-art research, partnering with rural communities around everything from youth programs to broadband access, and operating Extension offices that serve every Colorado county. We created the Spur campus in Denver to give all children a chance to learn where their food comes from (and we’ve even provided housing at Spur for the state’s hard-working FFA officers). At the CSU System, we’ve helped lead the formation of the North American Agricultural Advisory Network to strengthen coordination with Mexico and Canada around common concerns – and we’re also home to Together We Grow, an industry consortium promoting career opportunities in all aspects of the industry.
All three of our universities offer academic programs – including online degrees – that provide a backbone of education for an evolving industry, in fields ranging from animal sciences, horticulture, veterinary medicine, nutrition, soil sciences, natural resources, marketing, and more.
And of course, you’ll also find us out at events like the Chile & Frijoles Festival – at county fairs, the National Western Stock Show, State Fair – championing the strength and vitality of Colorado agriculture and all it does to sustain us year-round.
So enjoy the bounty we’re blessed with this time of year in America. Take time to smell the chiles. And if you know anyone who has an antique Uniharvester, let me know. I never did get to drive one.
– tony
Tony Frank, Chancellor
CSU System
This message was included in Chancellor Frank’s September newsletter. Subscribe to the Chancellor’s monthly letter.