WSARE 2000 Farmer/Rancher Grants-FW00-038
TITLE: Native Plants Nursery
| Producer: John Squire | Phone: (970) 259-0289 |
| Technical Advisor: Dan Lynn | Phone: (970) 259-9277 |
 Colorado producer John Squire will start a native plants nursery on his farm |
John Squire of Canyon Farms, a full time family owned and operated farm in Colorado, has received funding from Western SARE to establish a native plants nursery on his farm. According to Squire, the introduction of exotic invasive plants has severely depleted the nation's riparian habitats. Squire hopes to not only propagate native plants for wetland and other habitat restorations, but also to demonstrate to other local farmers and ranchers that specialty crops can be farmed in the area using ultra high density techniques, drip irrigation, and a solar pump to pump well water. Canyon Farms is also interested in exploring new avenues in agriculture and agritourism.
As project leader, Squire will conduct the daily farm work. He will keep a journal of the experiment, documenting and photographing each procedure. He will share his results with other producers and interested parties through articles in local newspapers and field days held during the growing season.