Our Story

It all started in 2001, when the Hamilton-Gordon family, consisting of Susan, Patrick, Sarah (8 at the time) and Clare (4) moved from Colorado Springs to a small, five acre farm in Canon City. We named our new farm Learning Ground Farm, and learn we did as we planted a huge market garden and tended it with a team of Halflinger draft horses. Despite the learning curve and challenges of life on Learning Ground Farm, we loved working outside together, learning from the land, and growing, eating, and sharing delicious and nutritious food.

After seven years of living at Learning Ground Farm, Patrick and Susan were hired as the farmer managers at Venetucci Farm, a 200 acre historic farm on the southern outskirts of Colorado Springs that was entrusted to the Pikes Peak Community Foundation by the Venetucci Family. Ready to put everything they had learned at Learning Ground Farm to work on a bigger scale, our whole family jumped into life at Venetucci Farm, where we grew organic vegetables and practiced wholistic livestock management. We enjoyed meeting and working with so many wonderful people during our time at Venetucci Farm as we built on the farming foundation we had established at Learning Ground.

In 2016, the wonderful legacy of Venetucci Farm as a working community farm was put on hold due the emerging issue of water contamination due to toxic chemicals leached into the aquifer by Peterson Air Force Base. (https://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/23/tainted-water-cancels-harvest-sales-venetucci-farm/). When Venetucci farming operations shut down in 2017, Sarah began wondering how she would continue working in agriculture, her passion and goal since graduating form Colorado College in 2015. This led her to start New Roots Farm, with her childhood friend Ellen Kerchner.

Leasing land from the former Country Roots farm in Pueblo, CO, Sarah and Ellen began New Roots by selling vegetables at the Colorado Farm and Art Market, and through a 30 member CSA. Thanks to much support from their community and farming mentors, their first farming season was a success, and they decided to continue on with New Roots Farm.

This is where the story comes full circle. At the beginning of their second season at New Roots Farm, Sarah and Ellen decided to move their operations from Pueblo to the original Learning Ground Farm land in Canon City. They were joined there by Susan and Patrick, and thus Learning Ground Farm was given new life in the form of New Roots Farm. At the end of the 2018 season, Ellen and Sarah decided to go their separate directions as business partners (but not as friends!) and Ellen left New Roots to start her own locally grown flowers business, Ellen's Flowers (https://www.ellensflowers.com).

In 2019, Sarah joined forces with Susan and Patrick, and together they ran New Roots Farm as family until Sarah decided to move up to the mountains for a "real job" with Central Colorado Conservancy. By 2023, she found her way back to farming as the head farmer at the C4 (Cloud City Conservation Center http:www.c4leadville.org) urban farm in Leadville, CO.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Susan and Patrick keep plugging away, continuing to grow beautiful fresh produce with the help of a great community, both volunteers and some paid staff. Both in their 60s, they are looking for ways to work less and enjoy more time on their bikes and in the mountains. They are beginning to envision a transition plan but would like to preserve this great piece of property in Canon City as a working farm. They are open to considering any and all creative ideas for realizing that future.

The original Learning Ground Farm crew- Patrick, Susan, Sarah, Clare, Duke, and Duchess

New Roots Farm Intern Position for 2025 Season
Classification: Full-time, hourly, seasonal
Reports to: Farmer/Owner
Hourly rate: $18/hour, 30-40 hours/week, 7 months
Location: Canon City, CO
Position Dates: April 2025-October 2025

Farm Overview: New Roots Farm, LLC is a small, family owned and operated, commercial vegetable production farm located in Canon City, CO. Established in 2017, we grow and sell fresh produce throughout the state, both direct-to-consumer, through a CSA program and farmers markets, and wholesale through food hubs and buying clubs. We produce diverse vegetable crops, both in the field and in hoop houses, employing regenerative farming practices with an emphasis on soil health.

Job Summary: This farm hand position is an entry level position designed to introduce the intern to all aspects of operating a small, commercial vegetable and herb farm, from planning, prepping and planting to harvest, packaging and sales. This position is a hands-on position designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in farming. This position provides the opportunity to build connections with the land and its bounty, as well as with the community it feeds.

Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assist with plant propagation and growth, including seeding, transplanting, cultivation, irrigation, disease and pest identification and control.
- Assist with bed preparation, including amending and prepping soil for seeding and transplanting
- Assist with harvest and post-harvest handling and packaging in accordance with the farm’s produce safety plan
- Operate and maintain motorized and hand held tools, including a walk behind tractor and implements, tilther, paper transplanter, and various weeding and harvest tools.
- Manage overhead sprinkler and drip irrigation systems.
- Maintain accurate planting and harvest records.
- Provide quality customer service and demonstrate knowledge of produce and growing practices while interacting with customers at the farmers market.
- Assist with general landscape and building maintenance on the farm.
- Supervise part time employees and volunteers.

Required Skills:
- Enthusiastic desire to learn about healthy food and regenerative, small-scale production farming.
- Ability to pay attention to detail while understanding the bigger picture.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Desire to work outdoors in sometimes extreme weather conditions.
- Ability to engage in physically challenging and sometimes monotonous work under pressure.
- Ability to take direction, ask questions, and accept feedback.
- Ability to work alone or with others.
- Creative problem solving and conflict management skills
- Strong mechanical aptitude and curiosity.
- Good sense of humor is helpful.
- Valid drivers license.

Education/Experience:
- High School Diploma
- Previous farming/gardening experience preferred but not required.
- Previous work experience demonstrating ability to work under physically challenging conditions.
To apply, please send resume and 3 employer references to newrootsfarmllc@gmail.com