Colorado State University Extension in the San Luis Valley has been strengthened by county and university investment and community support, expanding its capacity to serve residents in the area.  

Rallying behind Extension’s land-grant mission in the Valley is a dedicated staff led by Larry Brown.  

Brown first came to the San Luis Valley as an Extension livestock agent in 1986. He returned to Extension in May 2021, after running his own business for 26 years. 

Brown knew he would have his work cut out for him when he applied to be the Extension director for the six-county San Luis Valley area. When he was first hired by Extension in ’86, the region had eight agents and a substantial support staff; when he returned there was one agent and one office manager.  

Brown didn’t want his grandkids to grow up in a community without the positive influence of a strong Extension educational program. He has worked to rebuild the Extension team by piecing together funding from wherever he can find it, which has been no easy feat considering two of the six counties are among the lowest-income counties in Colorado, and all of them are under financial strain.  

CSU and the counties provided funding to hire three more Extension professionals, and all six counties have pitched in funds to hire part-time program coordinators. Brown could not be happier with the team the counties and CSU have helped him assemble.  

“They’re everywhere, and they’re doing everything,” Brown said. “They’re an amazing team, and as long as I can hopefully clear the path for them and then stay out of their way, they’ll continue doing amazing things.” 

Brown hopes to inspire continued support through the work he and his team are doing and their investment in the community.  

“The bottom line is we’re building capacity here, we’re building trust, we’re showing value, we’re showing service,” he said. 

Continuous learning

Brown and his team truly believe in the mission of CSU Extension, and they have hit the ground running. 

“In CSU Extension, our belief is that everybody will be better if we continue learning through our entire lives,” Brown said. “In San Luis Valley Area Extension, everything we do is designed to foster healthy youth and families; prosperous farms, ranches and businesses; and strong, resilient, proud communities.” 

Though most of his staff were hired in the past six to 18 months, they already have made great strides. 

The six-county 4-H program gained 150 youth participants last year, for a total enrollment of more than 400. By expanding youth programming beyond 4-H, the agents and coordinators reached an additional 1,400 young people in 2022. 

Extension youth development programs take many forms, from 4-H clubs whose members complete projects to one-time programs in school and after school. An example of an after-school program might be a seed activity, where participants learn about how seeds germinate and then plant an herb garden to take home. All Extension youth programming is focused on hands-on activities and developing leadership and life skills. 

Extension staff hosted Ag Fest for the second year Feb. 13-15. This year’s Ag Fest taught more than 400 fifth graders from 12 schools about agriculture and where their food comes from. Students rotated through 15 stations, where they got to milk a fake cow, make butter, play with worms and handle baby chicks, among other activities. 

New to the Valley, Juntos 4-H allows Extension to reach more diverse families by inviting the whole family to participate in activities. Juntos means “together” in Spanish, and the program aims to improve high school graduation rates and help students access post-high school education or career training.  

“We want to bridge the gap with high school students between graduating and higher education, whatever that might look like, and help them make their dream a reality,” said Carol Gurule, the Juntos 4-H youth development instructor. “Right now, Juntos is focused on Latino families, although the doors are open to all families.” 

For adults, Extension offers classes on food, health and finances, from food safety and preservation to aging mastery. Family consumer science master instructor Janae Naranjo can teach you how to live a longer, healthier life, budget for that extended future and make delicious “strawberry leather” – a healthier alternative to convenience snacks.  

Agriculture is an economic foundation of the Valley, and Extension works to serve farmers and ranchers through research and educational programming tailored to their needs, with courses on soil health, production management and succession planning, to name a few. 

In February, SLV Extension graduated its first group of Annie’s Project participants. Annie’s Project is a certificate program that empowers women in agriculture through farm and risk management education, networks and resources. 

“It’s one of those heart projects to be involved in Annie’s Project,” said 4-H youth development instructor Morgan Young-Gilmore, who is a sixth-generation cattle rancher and led the program along with Alamosa County program coordinator Caleigh Payne. 

It’s obvious in talking to the entire SLV Extension staff that there’s a lot of heart in everything they do.