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About the Specialty Crops Program

at Colorado State University


		With much of Colorado's agriculture in the throes of a significant downturn, as well as experiencing increased competition for land and water resources, and increased international competition for markets, specialty crops are offering growers alternatives to consider. This class of unique and varied crops quite often produces high returns per acre, but requires a relatively high degree of management.


	The Specialty Crops Program at Colorado State University aims to help growers master production systems, and explore and develop market opportunities for their specialty crops. Included in this class of specialty crops are vegetable, nursery, fruit, turf, ornamental, fiber, and herbs. Excluded from the program's intent are feed grains and oil crops.

CSU's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture has been able to initiate the first five years of the Specialty Crops Program (SCP) thanks to funding awarded from the USDA, through the Colorado Department of Agriculture. The coordinator of the program, Frank Stonaker, was hired in July 2002 to develop and administer the program's research, demonstration and outreach activities.


	From 2002 to 2006, 60 grants totalling nearly $500,000 have been awarded to growers across the state under the Specialty Crops Program Grower Research and Education Grants project. Examples of some of the projects can be found below (for a full list of the funded projects, see the Grower Grant link).

Colorado Garlic: Expanding Markets Through Improved Cold Storage Methods Hop Variety Test in Western Colorado Production Feasibility Test for Lignonberries in Colorado Winter Vegetable Crop Production and Marketing Use of On-farm Cover-crops for Fertility in Organic Fruit Production Controlling Weeds Using Propane Generated Flame and Steam Treatments in Specialty Crop and Non-Croplands Japanese Beetle Eradication from Palisade, Colorado Integrated Management of Sap Beetles in Western Colorado Sweet Corn Enhancing the Production of Certified Strawberry Nursery Stocks in the San Luis Valley Organic Fruit Marketing Research Project Growing Seedless Watermelon in the Arkansas Valley Drought Tolerance of Bedding Plants Marketing Colorado Wine Trails


	In light of growing interest in organic production, the recently implemented National Organic Standards ruling, and a shortage of organically produced seed, the SCP hosted an intensive seed production short course in January of 2003, focusing on producing organic vegetable seed.

		The SCP hosted two field days during the summer of 2003. In June, growers, university staff and students, and extension agents were invited to view on-going Projects that the Specialty Crops Program was conducting at the CSU Horticultural Research Center such as the garlic winter mulch and irrigation treatment study, the medicinal herb, artichoke, and specialty melon demonstrations, a flame weeding demonstration, and the lettuce bolting study. In September, the public observed the lettuce bolting study, specialty melon, and artichoke variety trials.

In 2004, the Rocky Mountain Small Organic Farm Project was initiated, expanding the scope of research to include projects reflecting the needs of organic market producers. Two well attended field days presented the work to growers, researchers, extension agents, and students.

		In 2005, the Specialty Crops Program initiated a campus CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Once again, two summer field days demonstrated variety trials, green manures, drip irrigation systems, and the research plots for the study titled "Differentiating Small Farm Produce Offerings through Nutritionally Superior Cultivars, Marketing, and Extension Programs" - a USDA CSREES National Research Initiative Project.

See our Calendar of Events for more details on past and future events including local conferences co-hosted by the Specialty Crops Program.

The Specialty Crops Program also provides internships for students.

Karen Stonaker teaching the farm interns about cutting bouquets.

Rocky Ford watermelons

For more information about the Specialty Crops Program at CSU, please contact Frank Stonaker at 970-491-7068, or e-mail Frank.Stonaker@colostate.edu.

About the Specialty Crops Program

at Colorado State University

Last updated 2/3/06