Jan 14, 2020
In this episode, I talk to Annie Toro Lopez, creator
of Rolling Homestays and seed-preserving farmer out of Elizabeth,
CO. Her passion for building Agritourism to benefit
travelers/adventurers AND farmers prompted her to create rollinghomestays.com to build camaraderie and
community.
You’ll hear:
>> What her seed preservation farm is all about and the famous seeds in her stewardship
>> How a trip down the coast and a deep sense of community inspired Rolling Homestays
>> What her non-profit organization and Homestead Education Center is all about
>> How Agritourism can help connect farmers to travelers and create a barter system to meet the needs of everyone involved
>> How Rolling Homestays is different than WWOOF
About the Guest:
Annie and her husband have a small, 5 acre farm on the Colorado High Prairie, Seeds to Savor Farm, where they grow and preserve historic heirloom strains of flowers, veggies, hemp, and herbs. They have flowers from Washington’s garden, as well as from the Shakespeare Library, and seeds that are Native American in origin. Their hemp seed is an original Colorado strain. They are also RVers, travelers, and adventurers, and they love visiting and supporting other farms, as well as hosting Boondockers who are interested in learning more about seed preservation and permaculture methods. They have often offered travelers a place to park in exchange for an occasional hand on the farm. Their guests have been happy to learn more about saving seeds, canning, soap making, and permaculture methods, and they have had some great help as a result of the exchange! They created rollinghomestays.com to make it easier for Farmers and RVers to connect, recognizing that often owners of small farms and homesteads could sometimes use a hand, but not necessarily a full-time employee. Rollinghomestays.com allows for a trade! Boondockers can either offer a hand on the farm, or make a farm purchase of fresh produce, fiber arts, eggs, or whatever the farm produces. It’s a win-win!! Travelers can support local farms, and eat fresh food wherever they go, and small farms and homesteads get the help and support they occasionally need.