Like nearly every other crop region in Colorado, the San Luis Valley had more precipitation in May than it had in months, and Jim Ehrlich, executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee in Monte Vista, said this year’s crop is looking good.

“In fact, we got more rain in May than we ever have,” Ehrlich said. “The river is very high, and it’s been God’s blessing that the moisture came. As a result, the crop started out a little late, but the potatoes have been doing really good.”Teachers from the San Luis Valley, as well as some from other areas in the state and one from Kansas, took part recently in a five-day, hands-on educational look at the SLV’s rich ag industry. (Photo courtesy of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee)

The rainy period was followed by near-perfect conditions -- warm days and cool nights -- and barring any hail or other unfavorable weather events, the 2015 crop should come in with good size and quality.

The CPAC director also noted the arrival of a new manager at the Colorado State University Research Center north of Monte Vista.

“Tyler Thompson is the new head, and he’s a 29-year-old from Illinois with a good farm background,” Ehrlich said. “He’s very tech savvy.”

The Research Center will hold its annual field day, open to the public, on July 29, Ehrlich added.

Acreage is down slightly, as reported by the annual flyover during the week of June 22. In all, 52,816 acres have been planted in potatoes. That compares to 2014’s 54,098. Some of the reduction is attributed to rotation, and some to farmers retiring.

While the figures were being compiled the fourth week of June, CPAC participated in a teachers’ tour organized by Bette Blinde and the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture.

The five-day event involved 12 teachers, about half from local schools and the remainder from other areas in Colorado and one from Kansas.

Developed to familiarize educators with the San Luis Valley’s ag economy and history, “Food, Fiber and More” also provided two credits for participation from Colorado State University, and the teachers were also provided curriculum for use in their classrooms.

The itinerary was designed for both hands-on experience at area farms and ranches as well as classroom time, and Ehrlich accompanied the group throughout the week during the tour. CPAC Marketing Administrative Assistant Racheal Werner was on hand to take photos at some of the stops.

Ehrlich said he considered the biggest takeaway for the group the personal look at how food is grown and why it is grown in specific regions.

“We visited with some potato growers in the Center and Mosca areas, and we saw all of the ag industry in the San Luis Valley,” Ehrlich said. “The teachers asked a lot of good questions.”

He said the group was a mix of younger teachers and those nearing retirement age, and he said all were interested in why farmers “do things the way they do. It was a real learning experience.”

Ehrlich added, “The tour had a lot of really good help from the Farm Bureau, Monte Vista Co-op, Farm Credit and Adams State University. The tour is an annual event, and it might be a couple of years, but we expect them to return to the San Luis Valley.”