In 1998, he collaborated with food crops students from the Department of Horticulture to transform the vegetable garden space at the Plant Environmental Research Center (PERC) on campus from strictly a trial garden to a student run organic garden. The garden continued vegetable trials but with a new focus on experiential learning. The 9000 square foot student organic garden is now in its 7th season of experiential learning and produce stand sales.
Adrian graduated from CSU in Agricultural Education in 1996 and worked as assistant to the manager of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture’s Field Research Center (the Hort farm), growing the first organic sweet corn, melons, and winter squash at the Hort farm. Although Dana Christensen helped him with his tractor driving skills, he still can’t drive a straight row! Adrian received his Master of Agriculture degree in Extension Education in 1999 from CSU.
In 2003, Adrian joined North Carolina State University as the Education and Marketing Coordinator for the student organic farm at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems. Adrian is currently the CSU-CE Agriculture/4-H Agent for Boulder County. In his current position, Adrian focuses on small acreage management and small farm production and marketing issues. He lives in Ft. Collins, farms a 300 square foot garden in the suburbs, and sells vermi-compost in local nurseries.
After obtaining his PhD, Ron joined Western Farm Service as an agronomist, advising fruit and vegetable growers in the central, coastal and desert valleys of California on soil fertility and salinity problems. Ron has research experience with corn, organic tree fruit and vegetable crops, and has extensive experience in
salinity management.
Ron currently works as research scientist and principle investigator for the Organic/ Sustainable Farming Systems Program for CSU at the Western Colorado Research Center - Rogers Mesa near Hotchkiss.
Some of his current projects include organic weed control in vegetables, organic table grape variety trials, and organic fertility management for peaches and native plant seed production. Ron’s interests also include cover cropping, composting and reduced tillage in organic farming systems.
