Farm to Summit - new loan of $10,276 for food preservation

At our February 2022 annual meeting, Four Corners Slow Money members approved a new loan of $10,276 to Farm to Summit! This will fund Louise and Jane Barden's outdoor walk-in cooler to store vegetable seconds from local farmers, before they dehydrate them to create their nutrient dense dehydrated meals!

Please help spread the word to local farmers that they are actively building relationships with farmers to buy as many produce seconds as possible! One thing that really excites us at FCSM, is that Farm to Summit works with many of the farmers we have also supported through loans, and it is a full circle food system that we are funding together!

We also heard loan updates from current loanees, including Nathan Brenner from Humble Fungi. Great work on bringing beautiful mushrooms to market and the table Nathan! We are grateful to have helped your business grow!

Our members voted to approve the launching of a new “In a Pickle” Emergency Loan Fund - which our Steering and Loan Review Committee will be developing and sharing the details with you all. Thanks Dean Vidal for offering to provide some advice on this as well. The purpose is to provide smaller, short term funds to farmers and food enterprises when they need it.

Tonight our members allocated $2,500 towards the fund - which has generously been matched by Woody Tasch (founder of Slow Money) and Beetcoin for a total fund of $5,000!! Thank you Woody and all of your donors!

2022 Annual Member Meeting - Save the Date!

Save the Date!

2022 Annual Member Meeting & Farmer Pitchfest (Everyone Welcome!)

Sunday, February 27, 2022 from 4:00 PM  6:00 PM MST - held virtually via Zoom  

For Zoom link, questions and more information, please email: info@fourcornersslowmoney.org

Woody Tasch, the founder of Slow Money will be speaking at our event, and is sure to inspire and connect us to the roots of the Slow Money movement!

We’ll share updates on previous loans and hear from current farmer loanees on the impact of these zero interest loans.

The Loan Review Committee has reviewed the 2022 loan applications and will be making their recommendations to the membership the week of the meeting. Selected loan applicants will make their short pitch to the membership, and we will have time for Q&A with the applicants. 

All current members will be voting on farmer & food entrepreneur loan applications for 2022. 

Everyone is welcome to attend, even if they don’t vote - community members, friends, family, etc. are welcome to attend to find out more about the Four Corners Slow Money movement.

Door Prizes! We will be giving away ten $25 gift certificates to local farmers markets during the meeting! Don’t miss out!

Renew your Annual Membership or Become a Member today!

Note, we have updated our annual membership to a sliding scale from $25 - $1,000 - to make membership more accessible and equitable and to promote more of a democratic process with our voting!

If you donated a year ago - you are now due to renew your membership to vote again. Your membership donation is fully tax deductible through our nonprofit sponsor, Onward! Be part of our regenerative philanthropy model to support local growers in providing our foods and sustenance.

Renew your Annual Membership or Become a Member

This will be an engaging virtual meeting, with professional facilitation provided by our Steering Committee members. We look forward to seeing you all and visiting together as a community who cares about our local food system!

- Your friends at Four Corners Slow Money

Steering Committee: Kyler Grandkoski, Sandhya Tillotson, Linda Illsley, Colleen O'Brien, John Byrd, Erin Havens, Rachel Bennett, Wes Medlock

Loan Review Committee: Dan James + Steering Committee

Together we funded $22,600 to three local farmers!

We are still smiling from our Annual Member Meeting and Farmer Pitchfest a week ago (February 28th, 2021). We are humbled by the generosity of our members and community. We are in admiration of the hard work of our local farmers and growers.

We are very pleased to announce that the FCSM membership has voted through consensus to fund the following loans starting now in 2021:

• Edit Aquarian - Breen Mesa Creamery - cheesemaking! - La Plata County, CO - $9,040

• Linley Dixon - Adobe House Farm - market garden & greenhouse!, La Plata County, CO - $9,040

• Nathan Brenner - Humble Fungi - mushroom farming!, San Juan County, NM - $4,520

Out of the $25,000 requested by the three farmers above, we were able to fund $22,600 (90%)!!

Considering we did not do a big fundraising push to local business sponsors (recognizing the burden 2020 placed on many local businesses) - we are quite happy with this outcome! Our community members continue to amaze us!

Thank you to all of the members who donated, attended our Annual Meeting, and to the farmers for keeping us healthy and fed! (Didn't get a chance to donate? Go ahead, support more farmers like these!)

We can't wait to gather with you all whenever it is safe to cook up and share all the delicious dishes we dreamed up together last week - using the tomatoes, mushrooms and goat cheese from these three farmers together!

Meanwhile, stay safe and enjoy the Spring!

Video on FCSM by CU Economics Professor John Byrd - Fall 2020

Spotlight on: Southwest Farm Fresh Cooperative

Linda Illsley (Four Corners Slow Money) interviewed Ole Bye (Southwest Farm Fresh Cooperative) in December 2020 for this story:

At the beginning of 2020 the SWFF Coop had an unsure future. The CSA model that was in place had worked for them, yet it was not quite enough to ensure they would be able to continue with their work to market and distribute the produce from member farms. The coop was formed to resolve this problem, which is a main concern for many of the local farmers in our area.

COVID gave the members the opportunity to create an online market model, which offers more flexibility for customers than the CSA model did. At the end of the year Ole reported that the future of the Coop is looking brighter than it did early in the year.

At present, the SWFF Coop is working with approximately 25 and 30 producers from Montezuma and La Plata Counties that are working collaboratively to create greater resilience in our local food system.

Two of SWFF’s producers, Adobe House Farm and Sol Vista Farm, are Four Corners Slow Money loan recipients!

Ole also mentioned that due to COVID there is greater collaboration between organizations in the region like Manna Soup Kitchen, the Good Food Collective and the Good Samaritan, amongst many others that have resulted in helping support individuals and families that are experiencing food insecurity challenges.

Collaboration made possible by funding from Nourish Colorado allowed for 20 families in Durango and 30 Cortez seniors and families to receive weekly boxes of produce from SWFF Coop . Ole hopes that with continued funding, this much needed work will continue in 2021

Sol Vista Farm: 2020 Loan Recipient Update

Duke Jackson - Sol Vista Farm - Mancos, CO

"It certainly was a challenging year! The compounding factors of drought, pest pressure, and erratic weather (which I'm accepting as a norm now) dolloped with a global pandemic, political insanity and social uprisings certainly made for an interesting season! All of that considered, I actually feel pretty positive about the year! As a second year farm owner I doubled my gross income and have become more established in our region's market, all of my customers were quite happy with product quality and consistency throughout the season.

The Slow Money loan undoubtedly attributed to the success. Unfortunately some hiccups arose in regards to location of the cooler, it turned out I was not allowed to build it where I initially planned in the barn (that assumption was an error on my part) and that in combination with the turbulence we were all thrown into at the onset of COVID made me postpone building the cooler until... now!

I decided to put that money towards improving my wash and pack area. Having a revamped wash and pack area was instrumental in achieving my goal in sales. Currently, I am on the lookout for an enclosed cargo trailer that I will turn into a walk in fridge, and I am also going to invest in a farm truck! Thanks for all your support."

Check out the length of this beetroot! Great soil health!

March 3, 2020

Thank you Four Corners Slow Money members and supporters! We did it!

On Saturday, Feb 29th we fully funded all 5 farmer loan applicants for a total of $30,117 in local peer-to-peer funding!

At the beginning of the meeting we were $945 short, but raised over that amount by the time we were ready to vote!

Thank you to the following farmers for applying for 0 interest loans, and making your impassioned pitches to our membership! We had a lot of new faces in the room - the movement is growing!

Watch the video of the whole event on Facebook here:

FourCornersSlowMoney

Direct link to video 

Watch for a Durango Telegraph article on the event, coming out soon!

2020 Funded Loans

Tom Markle - 550 Farms - Durango - $10,000 for irrigation systems

Max Fields & James Plate - Fields to Plate Produce - Durango - $10,000 for farm implements

Max Kirks - Outlier Farms - Mancos - $4,000 for walk-behind tractor attachments

Megan & Clay Tallmadge - Pleasant Tree Farm - Dolores - $3,117 for compost & soil amendments for the nursery

Duke Jackson - SolVista Farm - Mancos - $3,000 for a walk-in cooler CoolBot

Upcoming News

We anticipate some FUNdraisers & Friendraisers later this year - we'll keep you all posted! Our annual member meeting, farmer pitches and voting on 2021 loans will occur around this same time, next year. 

Remember to renew your annual membership here! 
So we can continue to build our revolving loan fund for local farmers and food entrepreneurs in SW CO and Northern NM.

A local business is supporting Four Corners Slow Money this week - check out their event, on our behalf, this Thursday evening!

Atlas Specific Upper Cervical Care

We are SO excited to be hosting a ladies' night at our office this Thursday!

Grab a friend and come enjoy FREE:

Chair massage by Heart to Hands Massage Therapy

Delicious microbiome nourishing food from Luv Box Foods @luvboxfoods

DoTerra Essential Oils

Spa products from @beebarewaxingdurango

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory chocolates

Non-alcoholic Mocktails from @infused_zero_proof

Wine from @foxfirefarms

Spinal health checks from us!

We will have some amazing raffle prizes as well. Raffle tickets will be sold for $5 each and proceeds will benefit Four Corners Slow Money - if you haven't heard about what they're up to check them out at https://www.fourcornersslowmoney.org/

We are looking forward to seeing you there Thursday March 5th from 5-7 p.m. at our office - 1800 E 3rd Ave Ste 108 in Durango CO.

Thank you for your involvement!

Four Corners Slow Money Steering Committee

- Sandhya, Susan, Colleen, Pakhi, Linda, Kyler, Jason

FEBRUARY 2020

Annual Member Meeting & Farmer Pitchfest
Saturday, February 29th, 2020
From 4:30 - 6:30 pm Manna Soup Kitchen, 1100 Avenida del Sol, Durango, CO

All current members will be voting on loans to fund in 2020 at this meeting.

Everyone welcome!

Download the Meeting Agenda

Download the Farmer Matrix - to see who applied!

Download the Annual Meeting Email to our Members

DECEMBER 15, 2019

We did it, we made our match! Together we’ve raised over $22,600 since mid-October for our revolving loan fund to be able to offer a new round of loans in 2020!

People can still become voting members by donating $250 (as an individual or group), or by donating any amount towards the cause.

We encourage local farmers and food entrepreneurs to APPLY for a LOAN NOW. All loan applications are due by January 30th, 2020.

Join our Contact List at the bottom of this page to find out about upcoming member meetings and events.

We encourage new allies to join us for our member meeting at no cost, and no commitment, simply to learn more about the Slow Money movement and what we are creating locally.

Together we are minimizing our community’s contribution to climate change and investing in our local environment and local farmers to keep us all well fed and healthy.

NOVEMBER 16, 2019

We have some very exciting news…

$10,000 in matching grants!

We have generously been offered $10,000 in matching funds from the Slow Money Institute and an anonymous donor. Four Corners Slow Money has until December 15th to raise $10,000 and take advantage of this amazing opportunity.  Please help us reach this goal so we can lend $20,000 to local growers and food entrepreneurs in 2020.  Help us do this by becoming a member, donating to the loan fund and/or spreading the word. 

First Corporate Sponsor! Zia Taqueria is Four Corners Slow Money’s first corporate sponsor. This a perfect partnership considering their commitment to sourcing local foods and supporting local farmers. We could not be more excited to have Zia’s support and commitment to a sustainable local food system. Our community is truly lucky to have a restaurant that makes eating local easy, affordable and delicious! 

First Loan!In October we hosted our inaugural loan meeting and awarded our first loan to Adobe House Farms! The loan is going to help them build a four-season greenhouse. This will help them grow in the shoulder seasons and get more fresh food into the community. 

Grow the Movement!The Four Corners Slow Money Club is getting momentum and scaling up so we can make a real difference in the region. Help us increase our impact by spreading the word. Please follow us on Facebook, share our page with your friends and send everyone to our website so they can become members! Together we can build a future with healthy soil, healthy lands and healthy people.

OCTOBER 7, 2019

Next Loan Applications by Farmers & Food Entrepreneurs are due January 30th, 2020.
See Loan Application here.

OCTOBER 6, 2019

Four Corners Slow Money has made our first loan of $3,000 to Adobe House Farm in Durango, CO for the purpose of building a climate-controlled greenhouse to grow tomatoes! We expect this loan to be repaid in 1 year. Congratulations Adobe House Farm and thank you to our local members for making this loan possible!

Press

NONPROFIT AIMS TO HELP LOCAL FARMERS

FOUR CORNERS SLOW MONEY RAISES $21,000 FOR REVOLVING LOAN FUND

December 15, 2019 by Patrick Armijo, Durango Herald

A local lending club has raised $21,000 to bolster its no-interest, revolving loan fund aimed to help local farmers and small scale food producers in Southwest Colorado and Northern New Mexico finance farm and business improvements.

Sandhya Tillotson of Four Corners Slow Money said the small nonprofit group raised $11,000 by its Sunday deadline to match a $10,000 matching grant from the Slow Money Institute and an anonymous donor.

“It’s really important to meet this goal because so many farmers we talk to don’t have capital for infrastructure improvements or collateral for conventional bank loans,” she said.

The money will be lent to farmers and small-scale food producers with no-interest loans that will be made in February.

Farmers or small food producers can apply for loans on Four Corners Slow Money website and loan applicants can make their own proposals for payback terms, Tillotson said.

Four Corners’ first loan was for $3,000 to Adobe House Farm. The loan helped finance a $40,000 greenhouse that will allow the farm to grow tomatoes in the winter and shoulder seasons.

“We want to help with any infrastructure needs a local farmer or food producer might need like irrigation equipment for farmers,” Tillotson said.

Four Corners Slow Money currently has 40 members, and it will continue to accept new members through February for the current loan cycle. Members pay $250, or $150 for farmers, to join the club. The membership fee funds the loan fund and entitles members to vote on which projects to grant loans.

Also, groups of two to five people can join to become a single member with group members sharing membership fees. Group members will have one vote in determining which loans to fund.

“There’s a lot of local interest in working for a healthier food system and healthier local soils, Tillotson said.

The local chapter is associated with the Slow Money nonprofit group, which has invested $73 million globally with small local farmers and food producers.

parmijo@durangoherald.com

October 1, 2019

NO-INTEREST LOANS AIM TO DEVELOP AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY: GRANTS WILL BE MADE TO SMALL-SCALE FARMERS, FOOD-FOCUSED ENTREPRENEURS

October 1, 2019, by Mary Shinn, in the Durango Herald

“A new regional nonprofit, Four Corners Slow Money, wants to help develop the regional agricultural economy by providing small-scale farmers and food-focused entrepreneurs with no-interest loans. 

Small growers can have trouble qualifying for traditional loans if they don’t have credit, if they require a small dollar amount or if they need flexible terms, said Sandhya Tillotson, a member of the steering committee. 

“With this local loan, we can support just about anything a farmer wants to do on their farm,” she said.”

Read the full article here.