Olander Farm

The 107-acre Olander Farm grows and malts grain and supplies craft malt to over 100 Colorado breweries and distilleries under the name Root Shoot Malting. Colorado ranks fifth in the nation for number of craft breweries, according to the Brewers Association. Protecting this property helps Colorado keep this economic driver local and strong.

“We expanded our commitment to agriculture in 2016 when we opened Root Shoot Malting, focusing on supplying breweries and distilleries with 100% Colorado-grown, Colorado-crafted malt. Our grain-to-glass focus has propelled us to new and exciting areas of agriculture and we are dedicated to the cause of keeping Colorado agriculture strong, sustainable and directly beneficial to the Coloradoans it serves,” said Emily Olander, Root Shoot Malting Co-Founder.

Larimer County, where the protected property lies, is one of the fastest growing communities on the Front Range, with a 20% gain in population from 2010 to 2020, according to the U.S. Census. A large housing development now abuts the farm to the west. Witnessing this housing boom along the I-25 corridor has sparked a passion in the Olanders for farmland conservation.

“Farming can be a difficult enterprise and is becoming immensely more challenging as farm ground is lost to development, or is stripped of water and rendered much less productive. We strongly believe in the importance of agriculture for our communities and our world and we are deeply passionate about our partnership with Colorado Open Lands in protecting our farm in perpetuity,” said Todd Olander, Founder and farmer.

 The Olanders’ vision for Northern Colorado includes the protection of its remaining farmland, and they strive to share that vision with their broader community.

 Carmen Farmer, Senior Conservation Project Manager with Colorado Open Lands, said, “Family farms are the backbone of the Northern Colorado economy and integral in the fabric of the landscape. By protecting their family farm, the Olanders are ensuring that future Coloradans can benefit from having local food production.”

 This project was made possible with funding from many partners including Larimer County, Keep it Colorado, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and individual and private funders.

 The Olanders produced a short film about their goals to support and maintain agriculture in Northern Colorado called 100 Year Lease. It is available here: https://www.rootshootmalting.com/conservation

Photos courtesy of Emily Sierra Photography.