To inspire, facilitate, and support the ability of Wet Mountain Valley residents to sustainably grow and distribute healthful pesticide-free food sufficient to supply the needs of all residents and visitors while protecting and enhancing the health of the Valley’s eco-system.

What we do:
We work together to
- provide educational opportunities for the general public through Sustainable Ways Educational Forums
- demonstrate dryland farming
- research and record how old-timers sustained themselves without input from outside the valley
- encourage and enable local residents to develop local business opportunities based on local eco-friendly food production and distribution

2011 Permaculture Workshops Flyer 
March 25 Introduction to Permaculture
March 26 Permaculture Workshop Part 1 (pre-registration required)
May 7 Permaculture Workshop Part 2 (pre-registration required)

Community Garden: 
The Cliffs Park: A Community Garden
Fruit Tree Orchard Planting May 26, 2011:

During the summer of 2010, with community assistance through voting over the internet, Sustainable Ways earned a fruit tree orchard from the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and their sponsor the Dreyers Fruit Bar Company.  Planting was scheduled for May 11, 2011 but delayed due to snow. The trees were planted by volunteers and Custer County K-4 school children on May 26.

 

The fruit trees are part of Sustainable Ways’ effort to create a local food supply by encouraging residents to grow their own food.  After much consideration, the following trees were chosen for our climate.  Stop by the Garden and check out how they are doing.

 

Apple: State Fair, Fuji, Sweet 16, & Wealthy.  Honey Crisp was planted as an experiment.

 

Plum: Italian Prune, Mt. Royal, Superior

 

Cherry:  Evans Bali

 

Pear: Luscious (planted as an experiment)

 

Natives for windbreak, bird food, and jams and jellies: Canada Red Chokecherry, Nanking Cherry.  American Plum was chosen but was unavailable at planting time.

 

Private local donations of understory plants include Gooseberry, Currant, Raspberries, Siberian Pea Shrub (a nitrogen fixer  for long term nutrition of  the orchard trees and bushes.)

Local gardening experts Cord and Penn Parmenter share their high altitude gardening expertise through lectures and garden tours.  See Calendar of Events

Larry Stebbins from Pikes Peak Urban Gardens gave a workshop in Colorado Springs Nov. 6, 2010 on how to put our vegetable gardens to bed for winter.
Report 

Seed Saving ...

In September 2010 we sent Cord Parmenter to Seed School at Seeds Trust in Arizona to learn about seed saving and how to start a seed library here in the Wet Mountain Valley.  Penn went as well and here is her report. Penn is spearheading the establishment of a library for locally adapted seeds in Westcliffe.  Following the lead of the Richmond, California seed library, people will be able to check out seeds for free, agreeing to return twice as many at the end of the season.

Permaculture... and high altitude vegetable gardening

We are fortunate in our Valley to have people involved with permaculture.  One of our Sustainable Ways members, Sue Pitman, has worked hard to earn her certification as a qualified Permaculturist., as has Ayesha. In 2008 Sue hosted members of the Pikes Peak Permaculture organization, and as part of their Valley visit they conducted an analysis of the beautiful garden, farm, and overall phenomenal place created by Cord and Penn Parmenter. Sustainable Ways was able to obtain permission from the author (Judith Rice-Jones) and the Parmenters of the report prepared on the Parmenter visit to make it available for everyone through our website. For a copy of this interesting and insightful report just click here: Permaculture Report on the Parmenter's successful high altitude garden.

Dryland Farming Demonstrations

For more information, please contact Sue Pitman at 371-3685 or e-mail at sue.pitman@gmail.com

Sustainable Ways  -  PO Box 672  -  Westcliffe, CO 81252
A Non-Profit Colorado Organization