4 Fascinating Farms to Visit in Colorado
From alpacas to goats to a thorough cheese education, these farms offer much more than your average school field trip. Check out four farms to visit in Colorado on your next trip to the hilly countryside.
Alpaca roam free in this orchard, evoking memories of Kuzco’s adventures in The Emperor’s New Groove. But this is no fantasy—you’ll find SunCrest Orchard in Palisade, Colorado. Their animals are bred for their consistent and voluminous wool fiber, which is then used to produce SunCrest’s selection of specialty alpaca products. These include rugs, beanies, and yarn for the avid knitter. You can schedule a variety of tours, including some that let you explore the orchard with your very own alpaca buddy!
This dairy farm believes that education and outreach are vital parts of their continued flourishing. Their goal is to spread awareness about sustainable agriculture, the preservation of natural resources, and the interconnectedness of individuals and their food sources. Join them on their mission by visiting their farm in Boulder—if you catch them in the springtime, you might be able to see newborn baby goats! On top of that, their interactive tours allow you to bottle-feed goats, walk them on leashes, and milk them, too.
If you’re looking for an overnight stay in a quaint, cozy farmhouse, look no further than the Horse & Hen Farmhouse Inn in Hayden, Colorado. Located on a fourth-generation working ranch, this inn combines the comforts of home with the bucolic charm of farm life. The homestead, run by Chuck Fulton, gives guests the opportunity to pitch in with chores around the farm. While not a precondition for staying at the ranch, many visitors delight in interacting with the farm’s horses, pigs, and chickens. Interestingly, this farm is one of a few contemporary farms in the U.S. that powers its operations using animal power instead of modern farm machinery.
At Haystack Mountain Cheese, they elevate cheese-making to a labor of love—they even have a Cheese Education Center to serve the most ardent cheese devotee. Dive into the curds and learn how to make Chevre, Feta, Brie, Mozzarella, Burrata, or Cheddar cheese. If that’s not reason enough to make the trip out to Longmont, you can also meet and thank the Haystack Mountain goats for their contribution to your cheese-tasting experience!
