Colorado Proud

Fall in love at first bite this February with a dish that’s as hearty as a mountain sunrise and as comforting as your favorite flannel. 

Calling all Colorado farmers, ranchers, and food producers! The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is now accepting listings for the 2026 Farm Fresh Directory, the essential guide to finding the best local produce and agritourism across the state. This annual publication, set for release in June, is a powerful tool to connect consumers directly with:

February is a short month, but is packed with opportunities and excitement as we know Spring is just a short distance away. This is a good month to connect with other business owners, and resources in our state. 

Here are some great business events and networking opportunities happening February and March:

January in Colorado is cold and dark, and we all try to find ways to stay warm and keep our businesses growing. 

This is the time of year to start fresh, by reviewing 2025 (both successes and challenges), and getting excited for the year ahead.  

Finding events near you to jumpstart 2026 is a way to help cultivate new ideas and support for your business ventures.

As the days grow colder and the holiday lights start twinkling, it’s time to settle in with the ultimate Colorado comfort food: roasted butternut squash soup. 

Our state’s winter squashes (we’re talking butternut, acorn, and spaghetti) are the secret weapon to beating the cold. They’re harvested in fall but keep beautifully through the chilly months, packing a satisfying and flavorful punch of vitamins, fiber, and natural sweetness.

This holiday season, we hope you shop and eat Colorado Proud! Choosing local Colorado products is a powerful way to support family farms, ranches, and small businesses throughout the state, ensuring that your holiday spending fuels local communities and preserves Colorado’s rich agricultural heritage.

Enjoy this stack of fluffy applesauce pancakes and know you’re tasting a piece of Colorado’s deep agricultural past. 

Celebrate the colors and flavors of Colorado with this vibrant salad that truly tells the story of the season. Hand-picked red, golden, and candy-striped beets join sweet Colorado-grown carrots to create a rainbow of earthy, jewel-toned flavors. Their brilliant crimsons, golds, and oranges echo the changing aspens and cottonwoods that paint our autumn landscapes.

October ushers in gorgeous fall colors in our high country, and cooler temperatures. Winter is getting closer!  

As business owners know, attending local events is a strategic move that can help build relationships, test products, grow their brand, and establish a meaningful presence in their community. As luck would have it, October is a great month for foodies and food businesses in Colorado, check out these events:

It’s time for a taste of Colorado tradition and local treasure: the iconic Pueblo chile. This isn’t just any chile, it’s a symbol of southern Colorado’s agricultural pride, known for its smoky heat and rich flavor. Grown in sun-drenched fields of the Pueblo region, these chiles are the essence of a Colorado fall. 

This month, we’re putting Pueblo chiles front and center in one of our state’s most beloved comfort foods: the Pueblo Chile Slopper.