Western Slope Soil Health Conference

10/12/2026

💧 Getting irrigation water where it needs to go begins with preparing the field.

Returning vendor Montrose Implement & Motorsports shared this five-row creaser in action. Creasers form furrows that help guide irrigation water through fields—an important job in Western Colorado agriculture.

Equipment like this represents the practical tools and knowledge that the 2026 Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo was created to highlight. We’re pleased to welcome Montrose Implement & Motorsports back and give attendees another opportunity to connect with their team!

Have you used a creaser in your operation?

📍 Montrose County Event Center
📅 Friday, November 13 & Saturday, November 14
🎟️ FREE admission

Watch for the complete Expo demonstration and presentation schedule coming soon!

10/09/2026

Two hundred years of agricultural innovation—in under 40 seconds!

From horse-drawn equipment to tractor-powered machinery to the colorful ANT working autonomously in the field, this video from BOPA- Precision Agriculture offers a fascinating look at how agricultural tools continue to evolve.

Built with small and midsize farms in mind, BOPA’s ANT provides autonomous field support and can be equipped for jobs such as clean, precise w**d control. The Autonomous Nano-Tractor that can w**d, spray, and enhance your farm for the next generation. Using computer vision and autonomous navigation, it can travel crop rows while producers focus their time and energy elsewhere.

And here’s another innovative part of BOPA’s approach: producers can lease an ANT seasonally rather than purchase it, reducing the burden of ownership, maintenance, storage, and rapidly changing technology. BOPA even offers an online calculator to help producers explore potential leasing costs for their operations.

We’re excited to welcome BOPA–Precision Agriculture to the 2026 Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo!

Come see what agricultural innovation looks like—and connect with the people developing practical tools for today’s producers.

📅 November 13–14, 2026
📍 Montrose County Event Center
🎟️ Admission is free!

Learn more about BOPA and the ANT at barnowlag.com.

10/08/2026

Two FREE events. Two days of practical information, new ideas and valuable connections for Western Colorado producers and communities!

We’re proud to partner with Montrose County - Government to bring these important opportunities to our region.

The West Slope Water Summit schedule is now posted, and the Ag Innovation Expo schedule is coming next week! Please read through all the great information below and make plans to join us as we explore ways to navigate drought, water uncertainty and the many other pressures facing agriculture today.

November 13–14
Montrose County Event Center

The Water Summit is free with advance registration; the Expo is free with no registration required. We hope to see you there!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Registration Open for November 13 West Slope Water Summit: Uncharted Territory
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MONTROSE, COLO - Registration is now open for the West Slope Water Summit: Uncharted Territory. The Water Summit brings together water leaders, agricultural producers, students and community members for a day focused on the current state and future of water in Western Colorado.

The West Slope Water Summit will be held Friday, November 13, from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Montrose County Event Center, 1036 North 7th Street in Montrose.

The Water Summit is free to attend, but advance registration is required. Registration is available at www.westslopewatersummit.com.

This year’s program will cover water conditions across the region, the Colorado River, weather, watershed health and the connection between agriculture and water.
Speakers and presentations include:
📍Andy Mueller, General Manager of the Colorado River District - The state of water and a look at the future of water in Western Colorado.
📍Don Day, Meteorologist - A weather outlook and discussion of conditions affecting the region.
📍Colorado River and Current Water Updates Panel - Steve Pope, Marc Catlin, and Bob Hurford will discuss current water issues and the Colorado River.
📍FFA Student Presentation: Great Green Vision: From Classrooms to Hillsides, Part 2 - Local FFA students will share the next phase of their agricultural experiment and what they have learned through the project.
📍Watershed Health Panel - Dave Payne and Andy Rossi will discuss watershed conditions, management and work underway to improve watershed health.

The summit is designed for anyone interested in Western Colorado water, including agricultural producers, water professionals, local leaders, students and community members.

The Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo will also be held at the Montrose County Event Center in conjunction with the summit on November 13 and 14. The Innovation Expo will showcase the latest innovations in agriculture, with a focus on soil health, water conservation, livestock management, and equipment. Attendees can explore hands-on exhibits, visit with vendors and agricultural organizations, and see live demonstrations throughout the event. Admission to the Innovation Expo is free and does not require registration.

For event information and questions about the West Slope Water Summit, please visit www.westslopewatersummit.com or call (970) 252-4508. For information on the Western Colorado Farm and Ranch Innovation Expo, visit https://www.shavanocd.com/farm-ranch-innovation-expo.html or www.shavanocd.com.

10/07/2026

Soil Health Committee MVP member Steve Hale does a fantastic job explaining why you won’t want to miss the 2026 Western Colorado Ag Innovation Expo!

This is more than an event—it’s an opportunity for farmers, ranchers, innovators, educators, students, and community members to discover practical ideas, build valuable relationships, and help shape the future of agriculture in Western Colorado.

Thank you, Montrose County, for this excellent spotlight and for helping us spread the word!

November 13–14
Montrose County Event Center

Please watch, share, and put it on your calendar—we’ll see you there!

10/05/2026

Thirty-five feet of brilliant color. Mountains rising above the edges. A Colorado story you can walk alongside.

Come experience “Setting Colorado’s Table: 150 Years of Agricultural Legacy,” created by Colorado artist Thomas “Detour” Evans, at the Ag Innovation Expo!

Celebrating Colorado’s 150th birthday and America’s 250th, this extraordinary traveling mural explores the connections between our mountains, water, fields, ranches, and the people who feed Colorado.

November 13–14, 2026
Montrose County Event Center
See the mural both days!

Artists, history buffs, teachers, students, gardeners, and curious neighbors—bring your class, your club, your family, or a friend who always stops to admire a mural.

Come for the art. Explore the Expo. Share this invitation with someone you’d love to bring!

Explore the mural’s story and tour:
https://settingcoloradostable.com/ag-mural

Discover more of I am Detour’s incredible work:
https://www.iamdetour.com/

And turn your sound on for a little Colorado surprise at the very end. 😉 💚

10/02/2026

🌱 Happening TOMORROW in Fruita!

Ag Innovation Expo committee members Gene and Gretchen Tate will be teaching this hands-on introduction to Korean Natural Farming—sharing how indigenous microorganisms and other natural methods can help build healthy soil, vigorous plants and resilient ecosystems.

This is a great opportunity to learn practical techniques from two knowledgeable Western Colorado producers—and to connect with Bioregenesis, one of our 2026 Expo vendors!

📅 Friday, October 3 | 9:30 a.m.–Noon
📍 823 21 Road, Fruita
💲 $15 registration fee
📧 RSVP TODAY: [email protected]

10/02/2026

What if you could spot a plugged drip line, irrigation leak, dry area, w**d pressure, crop disease, insect damage, or the effects of hail - without walking every acre?

Ag Innovation Expo participant Agroptics uses remote-sensing technology to help growers and water managers see what is happening across fields and irrigation systems, make better-informed decisions, reduce costs, and conserve water.

This three-minute presentation offers a fascinating look at results across a wide range of crops and conditions. Agroptics reports that its work has contributed to nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water savings, more than 10,000 fewer pumping hours, and more than 2,000 labor hours saved over two years.

If you’re interested in using technology to improve irrigation, lower operating costs, and maintain productivity during dry years, take a look—and meet Agroptics at the 2026 Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo!

Friday, November 13 | 12 pm.–7 p.m.
Saturday, November 14 | 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
Montrose County Event Center
Free admission

Learn more about Agroptics:
https://www.agroptics.ai/

Expo details and updates:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1126057459765666/

09/28/2026

What if one trip to Montrose could connect you to water, Colorado agricultural history, and practical ideas for the future of the Western Slope?

Join us for the 2026 Ag Innovation Expo at the Montrose County Event Center:

Friday, November 13 • Noon–7 p.m.
Saturday, November 14 • 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Start Friday with the Western Slope Water Summit, see the 35-foot “Setting Colorado’s Table” traveling agricultural mural, and explore Expo vendors and exhibits. Demonstrations and presentations begin after Noon Friday, with a full day of exhibits, speakers, demonstrations, and connections on Saturday.

Farmers, ranchers, gardeners, educators, students, businesses, and community members are all invited!

Follow event updates here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1126057459765666/

I’m Kim Doyle Wille, founder of Growing Empowerment and creator of The High Altitude Gardener. I’m helping with social media and community outreach for this year’s Expo—and I’ve gone first! Expo vendors, sponsors, presenters, demonstrators, and organizers: show us what people will discover.

09/27/2026

Healthy soil, thoughtful water use, and agricultural knowledge can produce something pretty extraordinary.

And here are three great reasons to spend Friday, November 13, in Montrose—they’re all happening in one place!

Begin the day at the Western Slope Water Summit.

See the Colorado 150/America 250 anniversary mural.

Explore the 2026 Western Colorado Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo, with vendors and exhibits throughout the day and demonstrations and presentations beginning after the Water Summit concludes at noon.

The Expo continues Saturday with a full day of vendors, exhibits, demonstrations, presentations, and opportunities to connect with people advancing agriculture across Western Colorado.

Admission to the Expo is free!

Friday, November 13 | 9 AM–7 PM
Saturday, November 14 | 8 AM–6 PM
Montrose County Event Center

Event details and updates:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1126057459765666/

Mark yourself Going or Interested, invite a friend, and help us spread the word. Which part of this big weekend are you most excited about?

09/24/2026

What happens when a farmer maintains strong yields and crop quality - while reducing costly inputs?

In this firsthand account, a farmer working with Ag Innovation Expo vendor LegacyAcre describes the root growth, crop performance, and grain quality he saw in the field - and why the results left him optimistic about what is possible.

This is exactly the kind of experience, practical knowledge, and agricultural innovation you’ll find at the 2026 Ag Innovation Expo!

Make plans to join us at the Montrose County Event Center:

Friday, November 13 | 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
Saturday, November 14 | 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Friday offers an especially full day in Montrose: attend the Western Slope Water Summit that morning, see the Colorado 150/America 250 anniversary mural, and then explore Expo vendors, exhibits, and demonstrations. Come for one - and experience all three!

Are you an Expo vendor, sponsor, presenter, or organizer? Help attendees get to know you before the event! Send us a short reel, video, photos, or other shareable content showing who you are, what you do, and what people can discover from you at the Expo.

Please share this reel with the farmers, ranchers, students, educators, gardeners, and agricultural innovators in your community. We’ll see you in Montrose!