Huffaker Farms
Lifelong Colorado ranchers regenerate a new piece of land with ZFP’s Restore grant.
75 acres
•
790 tons CO2e
•
Critical Area Planting
•
75 acres • 790 tons CO2e • Critical Area Planting •
Old History, New Land
Kristi and Clint Huffaker both grew up on ranches in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. They now have a ranch of their own in the same area, where they grow hay and forage crops for grazing cattle. A few years ago, they were able to add to their land when they bought a neighboring property. While they were happy to grow their farm, the new land needed help.
“It was old alfalfa ground. [The previous owners] hadn't done much with it,” says Clint. “It was farmed for a lot of years before we got there, and it was basically abused a little.” While bringing the land back into use, the Huffakers began to notice significant soil erosion as well. “There's starting to be a lot of bare ground where the old alfalfa was,” Kristi explains.
“We’re trying to regenerate it to what it was originally, get it back to health.”
The Huffakers needed to save their soil and prevent more erosion, and reached out to a friend and grantwriter. “He really helped us find some ways to help revegetate this place,” explains Clint. “He's the one who helped me with [the Restore grant].”
With support from ZFP’s Restore Grant, the Huffakers are planning critical area planting to reestablish grasses and vegetation that will stabilize the soil and help the land hold moisture. It’s one step toward restoring the health of land that has been farmed for generations.
“We’re trying to regenerate it to what it was originally, get it back to health,” says Clint.
About Huffaker Farms
“We both grew up on ranches in the valley. We have always had a love for the land and the lifestyle. We believe in regenerative practices and try to take a somewhat holistic approach in the decisions we make on the ranch.”
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Zero Foodprint awards grants for projects that take carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back where it belongs: in the earth, creating healthy soil and better food. To do this, we focus on regenerative farming practices like composting, cover cropping, and managed grazing that can restore life to our soil while removing carbon from the atmosphere. Together, we have the power to grow more nutritious food, heal natural water cycles, and create habitat for biodiversity to thrive. Explore previously funded projects to see what this might look like on your farm.
For more information, read through other Restore Grant FAQs.oes here
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
