Whether you have 5 acres or 100 acres, the goals you set and how you manage your land will determine if it will be beautiful, profitable, productive and purposeful.

The Tri River Area (TRA) Small Acreage Management Program provides educational programs for small acreage landowners and entry-level agriculturists in Delta, Mesa, Montrose and Ouray Counties. The workshops, conferences, webinars, field demonstrations, and our vast array of information can help you meet your objectives no matter what level of experience you have.

Contact the Extension Area Specialist

Katie Alexander, Small Acreage & Agricultural Marketing Area Specialist

For information about establishing and managing small acreage pastures, including proper seeding and planting tips, specifically for our area, please have a look at our recently recorded webinar found here. This talk is about 30 minutes and gives some species specific recommendations on what kinds of grasses and legumes work best in this area and will also offer some basic tips on getting these plants seeded and established.

Hot Topics:

• Farm Food Forum: Click the Link for additional information from their web page.
• Rainwater Collection
• Colorado Small Acreage Services Database
• Industrial Hemp: Learn more about Industrial Hemp with form and reports, general information, laws and rules, and CDA approved seed.
  • Contact information: CDA Contacts for Industrial Hemp
• Western Water Assessment: This a great website for current temperature, precipitation and snow pack information.

Raising crops, livestock, or even a simple vegetable garden requires you to know the most effective way to do at least some of the following:

• Understanding your soils
• Setting up and maintaining pastures
• How to plant trees or crops
• Mitigating noxious or obnoxious weeds
• Irrigating
• Rotating sheep, goats, cattle, or horses and managing grazing
• Incorporating and working with water entitlements
• Managing pests
• When and the best way to harvest
• Incorporating sustainable agricultural practices into your daily life
• Going organic
• Establishing a direct marketing plan
• Creating a financial plan and saving money

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS)

• Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS)
• NRCS Web Soil Survey 

USDA

• Know Your Farmer Know Your Food- USDA
  • USDA opportunities for small acreage food producers, click here!

Industrial Hemp

• Industrial Hemp: Learn more about Industrial Hemp with form and reports, general information, laws and rules, and CDA approved seed.
  • Contact information: CDA Contacts for Industrial Hemp

Western Water Assessment

• Western Water Assessment: This a great website for current temperature, precipitation and snow pack information.

Additional Resources

• CAMCrops– CAMCrops is a new resource from CSU Extension to bring Colorado producers the most up to date, timely, and accessible resources
• Colorado Small Acreage Services Database
• AG Business Planning Workbook
• Pasture Establishment and Renovation
• Planning For Your Land
• Hay Directory

For the following large documents, please contact your local office as the files are too large for this site.

• Intermountain Grass and Legume Forage Production Guide
• Living in Western Colorado on a Few Acres
• Colorado Forage Guide

To join our Small Acreage Management mailing list, email TRAExtension@gmail.com and include your Name, email address, mailing address and phone number.