Tucked away behind some neighborhoods in the city of Gunnison is a small farm called Gunnison Gardens.
Susan Wyman owns and operates it.
“Our farm is located in a frost pocket in a really cold city,” Wyman said. “So, sometimes I tell people it was a stupid place to place a farm, but if you want to learn how to grow food in a cold climate this is definitely the place to do it.”
Agriculture is a second career for her. For thirty years, she worked as a hydrologist and civil engineer.
“One day I was in my office working on statistics and technical reports, and I found this four-acre property online,” she said. “So, I was supposed to be working and I was dreaming about land and food production.”
Wyman decided to buy the land and start an urban farm.
“I had been a backyard gardener my whole life and then I had a technical-professional career and just felt this call,” she said. “Once I got on the track of farming and diversified small-scale agriculture, I just couldn’t quit.”
Now over a decade later, she is a farmer and educator.
“I don’t know everything about farming, but I will teach you everything I know,” Wyman said.
She teaches an eight-week course about growing food in a cold climate at Western Colorado University in Gunnison.
Wyman also has a volunteer night on the farm during the growing season and offers paid internships to high school and college students, as well as community members.
“My hope would be that folks come out here,” she said. “They see what we are doing. They take the best parts, leave with that. And whether they become full on farmers, backyard gardeners, homesteaders. Take this knowledge and go out and produce food where you are at.”
This year Wyman is doing something new. She’s the lead instructor for a registered apprenticeship program offered through Mountain Roots Food Project, a local nonprofit.
The apprenticeship is aimed at training beginner farmers for careers in regenerative agriculture.
“Regenerative farming is a way to produce food from the land that works in harmony with the natural systems,” said Holly Conn, the executive director of Mountain Roots. “It restores rather than extracts.”
People sign up for a two-year intensive and immersive program. They will receive hands-on and classroom training. They are also paid an hourly wage and get a living stipend.
Conn said the program is focused on bringing more diversity into agriculture. It officially launched in spring with three apprentices.
“We have a goal of 75 percent of our apprentices in the next three years coming from underrepresented audiences which would be women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, people of color, and people from low-income backgrounds,” she said.
Aiden Ramirez moved from Houston to Gunnison for the apprenticeship. He started raising livestock in middle school through Future Farmers of America. In high school, he took agriculture classes and started gardening in his backyard. Prior to his move to Colorado, he worked in hydroponic farming.
Ramirez is new to regenerative agriculture.
“My favorite aspect of regenerative farming, I would say, is feeling the equal give and take,” he said. “You are giving something back to the land and you are promoting the health of the land as well as getting all of your food, your vegetables. You reap what you sow. You put in that hard work. You get it back out.”
The 22-year-old said one thing that surprised him during his apprenticeship is how much food people can get in such a short growing season.
“There are so many different methods to season extension or retaining heat. It’s been really interesting to see how people make due.”
Ramirez said he plans to continue to work in agriculture after he completes the program.
“My next goal would be to start my own operation and just promote education for regenerative agriculture,” he said.
Farmer Susan Wyman said the apprentices are learning all aspects of farming.
“As they work out here to grow the food they're learning constantly,” she said. “And, they learn indoor seed starting, transplanting, direct sowing, soil health, business management, farmers market and sales.”
She said there is also a personal health and wellness component.
“This kind of work can be really difficult on the body and in some ways it can be mentally challenging,” Wyman said. “So we try to give these apprentices the tools they need to succeed running a diversified market farm such as this one.”
Wyman said another three apprentices will join the program in March, just ahead of the next growing season.
