Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
November 2022
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Business of the Month:
Valley Publishing
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Valley Publishing Inc. is a news media company that blankets the beautiful San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. VPI publishes six award-winning weeklies — Monte Vista Journal, Del Norte Prospector, Center Post-Dispatch, South Fork Tines, Mineral County Miner and Conejos County Citizen — and a free total market publication — SLV Lifestyles. Each week VPI's hyper-local publications reach more than 15,000 homes. Each newspaper has a companion website. VPI publishes several specialty publications throughout the year, including Summer on the Rio Grande, the official San Luis Valley Visitors Guide. For more information about VPI or any of its marketing plans, call 719-852-3531 or visit our office at 835 1st Ave. in Monte Vista.
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CLICK THE FLYER ABOVE TO REGISTER NOW! |
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Southern Colorado Farming
Agriculture in the San Luis Valley
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Alfalfa is considered the ideal forage for cows as the U.S. produces over 57 million tons of alfalfa annually. |
Potatoes
One of the main crops of Southern Colorado Farming is potatoes. They are also the area’s biggest cash crop.
There are approximately 50,000 acres of potatoes grown annually and around 20 different varieties. The first potatoes were grown in 1882 and 90% of Colorado’s potatoes come from the San Luis Valley.
Barley and Wheat
Another main crop for Southern Colorado Farming is barley and wheat.
The farmers began planting barley every other year in rotation with potatoes to help put nutrients back into the soil and reduce weed growth.
The San Luis Valley specifically grows malt barley which is supplied to Coors Brewing Company to make beer.
There are very strict tests that the barley must meet in order to be used by Coors Brewing Company. These include the proper moisture content, protein, damaged and broken kernels, or mold. If the barley does not pass it is usually sold for feed barley at a much lower price.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is another viable crop to Southern Colorado Farming. The Valley is a major hay-producing region and the crop is second behind potatoes as the Valley’s most valuable crop. Once alfalfa is planted, the farmer generally leaves the alfalfa in the ground for five to seven years.
When the alfalfa is removed from the ground it is a valuable time to plant potatoes because the alfalfa leaves many nutrients behind in the soil which the potatoes thrive on.
By doing this it will increases the potato yield significantly.
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What does the food system in the SLV look like to you?
I invite you to participate in the SLV Local Foods Coalition PhotoVoice project. Why participate?
- You like taking photographs and would like to share some.
- You care about vibrant a food shed.
- You have a unique perspective you’d like to share.
- You could win 1 of 2 $50 Visa gift cards.
The SLV Local Foods Coalition and community partners are conducting a 6-county-wide food and agricultural assessment. They are gathering feedback through online surveys, in-person listening summits, and this PhotoVoice project, the visual data gathering aspect. They are looking to hear from all corners of the San Luis Valley as to what the challenges you face, the opportunities you see and the ideas you have that will contribute to a thriving and resilient food and agricultural system in our region.
How it works:
- Take a photo that illustrates any of our themes:
- Barriers or Solutions to healthy food access #FoodAccess
- Opportunities for family farms & ranches to thrive #Opportunities
- Water, Air & Soil Health #EnviroHealth
- Inequities or Inclusion in our food system #Inequity or #Inclusion
- Emergency Food Plan / Who do you turn to in a food crisis? #FoodPlan
2. Write a caption for the photo. Examples:
- Who, what, why, when, where
- Tell the story of the photo
- How does it address one of the themes?
3. Include the hashtag #SLVFoodProject (and any others you wish).
4. Include the corresponding theme hashtag (above in bold).
5.*Submit up to two photos, with captions and hashtags for each, to one of the places:
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Google Form (Gmail account required)
- Text to TBD
- Instagram (be sure to include #SLVFoodProject so we can find your photo)
6. All submissions will be displayed on our website by December 9th, 2022.
7. On December 1st we will select 30 submissions for an in-person PhotoVoice Exhibition.
- We will print the chosen photos with captions to go along.
- Selected submissions will be announced on December 7th, 2022.
8. Gift Card winners will be contacted the week of December 5th, 2022.
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Your Voice Matters! Take a survey & be entered to win $50!
Please take 10 to 15 minutes to fill out the survey that best suits your role.
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Kiwanis Thanksgiving Dinner South Fork
Admission: Free, open to the public, Valley-wide. Get served a hearty Thanksgiving meal from 11 am to 2 pm compliments of the South Fork Kiwanis organization and enjoy turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie.
Donations accepted. Proceeds go towards the four local food banks. Takeouts are available.
When: Thursday, November 24, from 11:00 A.M. to 02:00 P.M.
South Fork Yuletide & WinterFest - FRIDAY: Annual Yuletide lighting of the trees at the Visitor Center and at the historic water tower, followed by festivities at the Hungry Logger (next door to the Visitor Center). See the incredible new lights at this event.Vendors are open from noon to 7 pm, tree lighting at 6 pm. From 6:15 pm to 9 pm, experience live Christmas music, Santa Claus (with gifts for every child), snacks, chili, cookies, hot chocolate, and much more holiday merriment!
SATURDAY: South Fork WINTERFEST continues at the Hungry Logger. Families can enjoy Santa and the kids' activity room. Local vendors will display and sell food, crafts, holiday goods, antiques, artwork, knickknacks, and more from 9 am to 4 pm.
When: November 25, 12:00 P.M. through November 26 4:00 P.M.
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Chocolate Festival Creede |
Friday & Saturday following Thanksgiving:
November 25th & 26th, 2022, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tickets: $10 Limited number Pre-Registration recommended.
The Creede Chocolate Festival is an annual two-day event beginning the Friday & Saturday after Thanksgiving. This event showcases luscious samples of chocolate specialties created by local business owners and individuals. All participants must abide by a few simple regulations concerning their chocolate delicacies: samples must contain chocolate, carob, cocoa, or white chocolate and cannot be commercially made or prepared from a box. Wonderful, yet sometimes unusual, chocolate delights range from tiramisu, tortes and chocolate covered pretzels, to jalapeno bean fudge and chocolate-dipped bacon. Eating your way around Creede will be easy—but casting your vote for the People's Choice award can be challenging!
When: November 25 11:00 A.M. through November 26 4:00 P.M.
Where: Creede, CO 81130
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Are you a new business in the San Luis Valley? Become a member of the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce for Ribbon Cuttings / Grand Openings, advertisement, and many more benefits for your new business!
View below some of our Grand Opening / Ribbon Cuttings for local businesses!
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Nazarene Thrift Store for Kids |
Nazarene Thrift Store for Kids is now open! We are located just west of the main store and Finer Blessings. Please share our new Facebook page. We have tons of fall clothes for kids, toys, books, shoes, and so much more!
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The Monte Vista School District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Early Learning Center on Thursday, Oct 6. MVSD Early Learning Center Director Stacey Plane is excited about the center opening fully opening to the public this month.
"This is certainly a realized dream for so many of us,” Plane said. “I am super excited to be a part of it all."
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Our own Gary Wilkinson, Linda Burnett, and Heather Hillin at the the ceremony held by the Monte Vista School district to dedicate the electronic sign in front of Bill Metz Elementary and to rename the Central Auditorium at the school. The sign was dedicated to Dr. Bill Metz and the auditorium was renamed the Alice Jean Sater Ritchey Central Auditorium.
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Questions or seeking information? - Click the buttons on the right-hand side to view more information about Monte Vista as well as various local events in the San Luis Valley!
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We hope you decide to move messages from the Monte Vista Chamber to your Primary tab from the Promotions tab. By doing so, all future emails from us should be delivered to the Primary tab. Thanks! |
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New Members:
- Nazarene Thrift Store
- Wenta Nip & Sanitizing Services, LLC
- A-renovation Services, LLC / DBA Bobolicious Gourmet Coffee
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Renewing Members:
- ABC Daycare
- Richard Nagley
- H&R Block
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Do you have an event in the San Luis Valley that you would like to add to our website? Please click the button below to fill out an Event Submission Form with as much information as possible. We will add the event to the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce website as soon as possible and will contact you if we have any further questions about the event.
Thank you!
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