Hidden Gems: Meet Kyle Monroe of Monroe Organic Farms

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Monroe.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We are a small organic mixed vegetable farm in Weld County. I’m the 4th generation of my family to farm and I still farm some of the same land my Grandparents farmed. My parents, Jacquie and Gerald Monroe raised me on the farm. I grew up going to many farmers’ markets, working the fields, and helping out with our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.

We were the 2nd farm in Colorado to start a CSA membership in the 90s. We will always continue with our CSA. Our membership has seen us through and supported us during many seasons. We were also one of the first farms in Colorado to be certified organic. We believe we’re one of the oldest organic farms in the U.S. and we are currently the oldest still operating CSA in Colorado. Alongside vegetables, we’re well known for the melons and strawberries that we grow.

A few years ago we were able to bring back the Greeley Wonder Melon, a really old cantaloupe, from my grandfather’s old stash in the barn. We think the seed was from the 70s. We simultaneously got in touch with Seed Savers in Iowa. My grandfather had sent them some of his Greeley Wonder Melon seed and we collaborated in growing it out and sending some fresh seed to the international Svalbard seed bank for safekeeping.

I’m currently taking over the farm from my parents and raising my daughter on the farm. We’re branching out and growing flowers now for mixed bouquets plus hanging baskets. Flowers are a really fun addition to our farm. We’re really focusing on our soil health and have enjoyed adding a ton of cover cropping and other practices that move us more toward regenerative agriculture. We also raise sheep, cattle, and pigs for meat. We’re unique in that the majority of our business is direct to consumers and our main advertisement is word of mouth.

My parents helped found farmers markets such as Boulder Farmers Market which we still go to today. We enjoy an awesome customer base and are always seeking to spread the word about what we do. We farm around 60 acres of food and are small relatively speaking. We face a lot of challenges because of that. However, we love to farm and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Figuring out how to navigate all the different government agencies has been hard. There are many rules to follow and we have to know them all to be successful and produce safe food. We have always struggled to find good labor.

Every year is hard in that respect. It’s hard to keep a positive outlook when for instance we get severe weather like hail and lose everything in a matter of minutes. When my parents started CSA they really had to push the idea. People didn’t get the concept at first. But they succeeded. People told us farming organically would never work out for us.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Monroe Organic Farms, LLC?
We’re well known for our CSA, and our melons, and often people know us for our earlier produce. We have super sandy, incredible soil that heats up quicker than heavier soils. We can produce items such as summer squash and onions a lot earlier than other farms. We’re proud to have been family-owned and operated for so long.

We have the honor and privilege to stand on the shoulders of previous generations who paved the path for us. We want readers to know how important it is to support local farmers growing food in Colorado. If we want food to continue to be grown here, we have to put our money where our mouth is.

Our CSA program is our lifeblood. We consider our CSA members to be extended family, even if they’re only with us for a season or two. Our members sustain us through the good or bad of weather and seasons. We share our abundance with them and prioritize them over any other customer base.

Our summer CSA lasts for 18 consecutive weeks, mid June – October.  We also do a winter CSA share that goes usually from mid-October- December that include summer/peak produce that we pick before the first freeze + storage vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, celery root, daikon radish, etc.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We love Denver for its open-minded people and true foodies. Increased traffic can be challenging when delivering in big trucks.

Pricing:

• Quarter CSA Share: $454
• Half CSA Share: $577
• Full CSA Share: $788

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monroefarm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monroeorganicfarm/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monroeorganicfarm