MONTE VISTA, Colo. (RFD News) — An 80-year-old family potato farm is finding new ways to adapt as drought continues to reshape farming across the region.
Farmer Tyler Mitchell says the operation has adjusted its crop rotation in recent years, replacing malt barley with less water-intensive crops like quinoa and winter rye while incorporating cattle grazing to improve soil health and reduce water use.
Mitchell says growers continue to face challenges from a drought that has persisted for more than two decades, along with weak potato prices following last year’s large national crop.
Despite those challenges, he remains optimistic about the future of potato farming and says organizations like the National Potato Council help represent growers on policy issues.
