UpRoot Colorado

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UpRoot Colorado

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We increase the nutrition security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-d

The seeds for UpRoot were planted in the Fall of 2016 with two gleaning events set up on two unique farms in order to provide produce for Feeding the 5000 Front Range, a food-waste-awareness event held in downtown Denver in October 2016. At Grant Farms CSA in Wellington, Colorado, six adults and seven children harvested roughly 1,000 pounds of produce in four hours. At Chatfield Farms, 10 adults harvested approximately 500 pounds of produce in about two hours. At both farms, significant amounts of edible produce remained in the fields. In fact, ReFED estimates that 10.1 million tons of edible produce remains on US farms each year—less than five percent of this loss is currently being recovered. Colorado is a state with 11 million acres of cropland and there are existing examples of organizations both throughout the country and in Europe that implement sustainable, year-round gleaning operations. Starting in October 2016, the UpRoot team researched and reached out to gleaning organizations from the UK to New England to the Pacific Northwest to compare organizational models and best practices in order to create a flexible model that will serve region-specific areas of Colorado. In December of 2016, we received fiscal sponsorship from Denver-based Impact Charitable and obtained our Articles of Incorporation in May of 2017. In the summer of 2019, we applied to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for independent nonprofit—501(c)(3)—status and received our Letter of Determination in February of 2020. Our work is both reducing surplus protective foods (i.e., nutrient-dense foods) and increasing nutritional security statewide, better support Colorado’s smallholder and family farms, reconnect Coloradans to their local foodshed and reinstall food wisdom in the communities where we work.

♡ Team UpRoot

10/19/2026

Sunsets, Salads, Sweets and Stellar people…🌄🥗🧁

All made Boulder County’s end of harvest season potluck + CDA’s 150 Tables Event a huge success! With the flatirons on full display, delicious bites were had, silly questions to spark conversation were exchanged and a tough harvest season was celebrated. 🙌

Thank you to all our farm partners, hunger-relief organizations, and hearty volunteers who have made (and continue to make) this a great season!

10/15/2026

UpRoot on the hill! 🏛️

Last month, our Denver coordinator Jensen Miller went to DC with the to advocate for a better, fairer farm bill that builds a more resilient food system by supporting our farmers and restoring SNAP.

Involvement with the farmer’s union is one of many ways that UpRoot supports our farmers, and we’re so glad UpRoot could be in the room during legislator meetings to speak up for our local family farmers.

10/13/2026

It’s a cucuzza palooza at Esoterra Culinary Gardens!

During our weekly pickups of surplus vegetables at Esoterra, we started receiving more and more of this glorious gourd. This giant vegetable is called cucuzza! It is an Italian variety of edible gourd with a taste and texture similar to a summer squash like zucchini AND a cucumber. It is used in a variety of Italian dishes and enjoyed baked, sautéed, and in soups. Although it is an unfamiliar vegetable to many, our hunger relief partners have loved receiving them as staff and program participants alike get a real laugh about how comically long these cucuzzas are.

10/08/2026

Did you know Carbondale, Colorado used to be known as the potato capital of the United States? 🥔

When settlers first arrived in the late 1800s, they found Carbondale’s rich soil and cool mountain climate ideal for growing potatoes. Local farmer Thomas McClure helped put Carbondale potatoes on the map by developing the Red McClure, which became popular throughout Colorado and beyond. At its peak, the valley shipped hundreds of railroad cars of potatoes each year, including potatoes sent to feed American troops during the World Wars!

To honor this potato legacy, and the abundant local agriculture, Carbondale hosted its first ever Potato Day celebration back in 1909. This year, UpRoot got to be involved in the 117th annual potato days by helping to harvest and glean alongside , bringing potatoes to both to Potato Days and local hunger relief agencies. We also had a table during the celebration and got to find out all the ways this town likes to eat potatoes (Peep the last picture!)

10/06/2026

At the first annual Palisade Farm Fest, UpRoot Colorado had the opportunity to table and celebrate the people who make our agricultural valley thrive. The event’s mission is to strengthen local food systems by connecting farmers with the community—and it works!

During the fest, we connected with farmer Jeremy from Just Peachy. After donating a handful of his summer squash through UpRoot that day, Jeremy stepped up in a massive way and that handful of squash led to more than 3,800 pounds of fresh, local produce including peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, garlic, corn, and peppers–and an invitation to glean on his farm!

Thanks to this initial connection and a growing partnership, Jeremy’s beautiful produce has now been shared with hunger-relief partners all across the Grand Valley, including Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, Homeward Bound, GJ Community Food Bank, Clifton Christian Food Bank, the Salvation Army, Solidarity Not Charity, Mutual Aid Partners, and WSNARC. A big thank you to Just Peachy and Farm Fest for keeping resources local and feeding our community! ✨

10/01/2026

Every bit of food we eat represents months of planning, growing, countless resources, and the dedication of farmers whose work is essential to our food system, yet often goes unseen.

This Food Waste Prevention Week, we are especially grateful for all of our farm partners who grow, harvest and care for the food that nourishes our communities. We are especially grateful for their generosity to invite UpRoot and our volunteers to glean what gets left behind.

Behind the scenes, our team is proud to be on the ground alongside growers, coordinating gleaning and helping to move that food from the field to where it’s needed most. And we are grateful to the hunger relief agencies who make the final connection—getting this food onto the tables and into the hands of our neighbors.

It takes a village to keep that food in the food system! We can honor our food and everyone who makes it possible by being more mindful of the choices we make and working together to waste less food

09/29/2026

Would you like to savor a delicious meal with friends and neighbors on a local farm in Boulder? Come join UpRoot to celebrate the end of harvest season, our incredible volunteers AND 150 years of Colorado! In collaboration with the CO Department of Agriculture Colorado Dept of Agriculture, UpRoot is participating in 150 Tables Across Colorado to bring our community together through the joy of a shared potluck meal.

This event is FREE!

Bring a dish to share & register to reserve your seat today!

https://uprootcolorado.my.site.com/Volunteer/s/sign-up-to-glean?language=en_US

09/28/2026

There’s no better way to spend a Saturday morning than gleaning veggies with amazing people! 🌞🌶️

We had an absolute blast gleaning 535 lbs ~ nearly 1,600 servings ~ of a variety of veggies at ARDEC North on Dr. Whitney Cranshaw’s experimental plot! ARDEC North is CSU’s Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center with a focus on integrating hands-on student learning and agricultural programs. We were able to do this glean in collaboration with Vindeket, who not only is a powerhouse but also a strong nonprofit partner as a hunger relief agency and, newly this season, by gleaning side by side. Join us in the fun and check out our upcoming volunteer opportunities!

09/24/2026

During such a tough growing season in Colorado, we love to have gleans that support both farmers and hunger relief!

Our Boulder County gleaners have been out to Speedwell Farm & Gardens and Aspen Moon Farm to glean kale while also pruning the plants. By harvesting only the leaves on the lower half of the plant, we help the plant to put energy into new leaf growth. This pruning technique also allows for more airflow and light to reach the plant, deterring pests and disease. This glean and prune combo leaves farmers with more healthy and productive plants, while the gleaners leave farms with delicious kale to help feed the community!

09/21/2026

There is something profoundly meaningful about knowing exactly where your food comes from.

Wendell Berry believed that every meal is a bridge—connecting us to the soil, the land, and the people who grow our food. At UpRoot, we are honored to help build those bridges, connecting volunteers with local farmers and giving them the opportunity to experience the joy of harvesting their own food.

While we mourn the recent passing of Wendell Berry, we continue to celebrate the enduring wisdom he shared through his literature and his living example. Berry’s assertion that “eating is an agricultural act” comes from his essay “The Pleasure of Eating”, which highlihts the beauty and importance of being connected with the sources of our food. This is a big part of our ethos at UpRoot, and we’re grateful to Mr. Berry for being such a bold—and poetic—champion of this message.

Address

PO Box 1952
Carbondale, CO
81623

Website

https://www.uprootcolorado.org/

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