MEETING IN THE MIDDLE

Meeting in the Middle addresses the San Luis Valley’s groundwater crisis by building regional food manufacturing capacity and increasing market demand for climate-smart grains.

The project will install a Grab N Go bulk grain storage and sorting system for rye at Jones Farms Organics, directly supporting value-added producers like Tumbleweed Bread. It also funded a millet de-huller to unlock access to higher-value markets for SLV farmers and reduce carbon-intensive freight.

A comprehensive storytelling campaign—through custom product labeling, retail displays, and online media—will educate consumers on the ecological and nutritional benefits of locally produced grains.

Client
Tumbleweed Bread

Year
2025

A piece of industrial equipment or machine with a blue-green metal frame, a fan or vent, and an orange mesh guard. The machine is suspended by chains and has various cables attached. It is placed on a rusty metal stand in a workshop or garage setting.

This $30,000 project, funded by the CDA Climate Smart Commodities Program, was designed and managed by SECANACo.

Two people walking through a field of rye open sky and distant structures on the horizon.

RETURNING CIRCLES

Returning Circles is a revegetation initiative focused on the ecologically viable and economically resilient restoration of retired croplands in the San Luis Valley. The project involves 120 acres at Klecker Ranch, where native grasses are being reestablished to reduce wind erosion, improve soil health, and enhance water retention.

By using locally adapted seed mixes and regenerative land practices, Returning Circles serves as a replicable model for post-irrigation land use in the region.

The project demonstrates how ecological recovery and rural livelihoods can move forward together in response to drought and water scarcity.

Client
Klecker Ranch

Year
2024 - Present

Four people stand in an open field under a blue sky, engaged in conversation. One person appears to be explaining, while the others listen. They are dressed in casual outdoor and farm work clothing, including overalls and hats.
A person crouching in a green field with rows of plants, under a clear blue sky with mountains in the distance.

This $20,000 project, funded by Zero Foodprint, was designed and managed by SECANACo.