JOES, Colo. — Prairie Futures will open to the public on Saturday, July 10 with free events scheduled from 3 -10 PM. The project is a public artwork and agricultural landscape installation which aims to establish and support community based conversations around farming in the Colorado High Plains.
Prairie Futures is the first social-ecological design project focused on sustainable agricultural crop production in the High Plains region. Designed as an educational destination in eastern Colorado, it serves to push the frontier of agricultural research by examining plants such as amaranth, hemp, quinoa, millet and sunchoke. Components of the project include outdoor pavilions for community gatherings and events, and crop circle gardens with pollinator friendly prairie strips.
Project Opening details:
JULY 10th, 2021 from 3-10 PM
The Benton Family Homestead
Just west of Grassroots Community Center
6415 US HWY 36, Joes, Colorado 80822
3 to 6 PM Program
● Readings by: Gregory Hill [East of Denver] and Lucas Bessire [Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains]
● Future Farmers of America, Liberty & Arickaree schools, Student Garden Tour
● Talk with Michael Bowman, Hemp Farmer
● Craft Demo: High Plains Spinners & Weaver Pam Veto, Hemp Macrame Workshop Hemp Rope Making with Daniel Ray
● Quinoa, green chile, sweet corn tamales & Giant salad
6 to 10 PM: Music
● Dog Patch Ramblers [bluegrass]
● Rural Roots [country]
● Dead Pay Rent [rock & roll]
About the artistic team:
Jacques Abelman – Landscape Architect and Artist – Jacques’s aim is to envision the potential of landscape at the intersection of the ecological, social and spatial. His built work seeks to weave together spatial design, social justice, and food systems into the fabric of public space and infrastructure.
Maureen Hearty – Co-Director and Artist – Maureen leads the community engagement, and horticultural management for this project. Maureen’s community activist experience, in both urban and rural landscapes, builds connection, compassion and opportunity for diverse communities. Lives and works in Joes, Colorado.
Kirsten Stoltz – Co-Director, Curator and Writer — Primarily focused in the field of contemporary art, arts education and design Stoltz’s work celebrates collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to project development and execution in rural communities. Born in Yuma, Colorado, her grandparents owned and operated the Alma Motel in Joes until the 1980s US farm crisis.
On-going Summer Program:
High Plains Sounds — Musician-in-Residence Program
Saturday Outdoor Concert Series
July 17, 7:30 PM – White Rose Motor Oil
July 24, 7:30 PM – Nathan Hall
August 7, 7:30 PM – Zach Boddicker
Regenerative Agriculture Discussion
July 18, 5 – 7 PM
West Bijou Ranch, Savory Institute & Sun Prairie & CSF Farms
Dinner Served — Beef brisket from CSF Farms
Farmers’ Market
Saturdays, 10 – 1 PM
July 17
August 14
August 21
Upcoming Events — check website for details
WWW.PRAIRIESEAPROJECTS.ORG
FUNDERS:
National Endowment for the Arts
Arts in Society
Lynn and David Gottmann
PARTNERS:
Bethleen McCall, Yuma City Councilwoman and Hemp Farmer
Rural Communities Resource Center (RCRC)
Las Estrellas
Yuma Museum
Future Farmers of America, Joes and Arickaree Chapters
Colorado State Extension Office
Sweet Pea’s, Yuma
Sun Prairie Beef, Yuma
Native Plant Nursery, High Plains Environmental Center
Snake River Farms
The Orphanage, Yuma
Grassroots Community Center and the Liberty Rural Learning Cooperative
— Colorado State University
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