The Ela Annual Free Farm Tour& Campout is super fun! 
JOIN US FOR A CASUAL DINNER AND CAMPOUT SATURDAY
THEN SUNDAY MORNING STROLL WITH US FOR A LITTLE LOOK AT THE ORCHARDS & SEE WHERE YOUR FRUIT IS COMING FROM!
our ANNUAL FREE
CAMPING & FARM TOUR!
Saturday May 30 & Sunday May 31 2026
At the farm:
- Saturday night was a camp out in the Ela Family Farms orchards under the stars. The stars are amazingly profuse out here in our dark sky neighborhood. Check us out along the Colorado Stargazing Trail™ RSVP info@elafamilyfarms.com
- Saturday night we had street tacos or chiles rellenos & sides from the authentic-Mexican local vendor that our farm crew loves! (Purchased here)
- Wake to the songs of all kinds of birds
- Sunday morning from 10-12 please join us – no reservation needed.
Immersion in sustainable agriculture:
enjoy the trees, witness grafting and wind machines, ask about cover crops and pest management, poke your nose into irrigation techniques, and lots more. Please bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in small groups among the fruit trees following the Sunday morning tour - Please leave your furry friends at home. We cannot allow dogs on the tour
- Bring picnic dishes, utensils, drinks, and beverage containers if you are joining us for the orchard dinner
- potable water is available onsite
- with lots of flammable material around, please plan for no open fires, no bbq’s or grills
- campers please plan to arrive by 4pm to allow time for finding your campsite and setting up before dinner.
On the way and nearby:
- Explore the local outdoors scene ranging from rafting and paddleboarding to mountain biking and hiking, to photographing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison or the archeological Eagle Rock site, to birding through multiple bioregions
- Visit local cheesemakers, artists, galleries, and wineries
- Alongside the highway on McClure Pass (which you will pass if you are coming from the Front Range) is Hay’s Creek Falls
- Just down the road from the farm, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and main stem of the Gunnison river come together at Pleasure Park with gold medal fishing waters
- Nearby the local Eagle Rock Shelter has rock art and occupation dating back at least 13,000 years
We welcome your getting to know the natural wonders of where your fruit is coming from!
Please feel free to reach out if you’d like help or ideas in creating your own local tour schedule that suits you best. We’ve listed a few local and locavore attractions below, but there are lots more coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, and outdoor adventures nearby.
As always, please respect the health of all and stay home if you are sick.
- Sunday tour 10am-12pm. – no reservations required
- Please leave your furry friends at home. We cannot allow dogs on the tour
- Bring picnic dishes, utensils, drinks, and beverage containers if you are joining us for the orchard dinner
- You’ll likely see a wind machine in action, different kinds of fruit trees, irrigation for an arid landscape, our packing shed and giant coolers, and of course lots more
- Camping will be available in the orchard the night before. – please email info@elafamilyfarms.com for more info
Growing “Picked at the Peak of Flavor” Fruit
Ela Family Farms emphasizes sustainable fruit cultivation through careful selection of species and companion planting, enhancing biodiversity and improving soil health and diversity.
Frost Protection
Frost protection strategies at Ela Family Farms include microclimate management techniques such as using wind machines when temperatures drop to mix rising warm air back toward the ground, safeguarding crops against late spring frosts, which might otherwise damage the crop.
Water Management
In a desert environment, smart water management is crucial. Techniques used include drip and microsprinkler irrigation systems that optimize water use.
Sustainability Practices
Ela Family Farms implements a holistic approach to sustainability, integrating air, water, energy, and community initiatives that foster a healthy ecosystem while minimizing environmental impact.
Grafting Techniques
Grafting is part of all fruit growing, as it combines desirable traits of one variety with the flavors and ripening times of another. This method mauy enhance resistance to pests or diseases, may affect size of tree and its drought or cold hardiness.
Pest Management
Effective pest management strategies at Ela Family Farms include allowing natural predators to flourish, taking advantage of microbes and pheromones to disrupt pests, and netting to physically change the behavior of damaging insects. These practices reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, focusing instead on biological control and natural deterrents to maintain healthy crops, and on creating room for robust ecological communities.
Organic Farming
Ela Family Farms is devoted to organic farming practices. Supporting environmental sustainability, our ecosystems, the soil, and ourselves makes sense. Steve has been a part of charting the course of organic practices at local and national levels for decades.
Feel free to ask questions!
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Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product pageEla Farm Tour Dinner in the Orchard
Price range: $0.00 through $37.00
Our 2025 Free spring Ela Farm Tour – Curiosity is the word of the day! Immerse yourselves in the life of the farm. Camp out Saturday night in the orchard under the stars if you like. Starting the Sunday tour at 10 a.m., we walk, talk, and explore all aspects of our farm. We’ll see newly growing baby fruits, wind machines and sustainable practices, plus demonstrations of grafting and farm operations. The best part of the tour? It’s free! Come see how we grow!
What does it take to grow fruit in Colorado? Steve is a soil scientist and forward thinking grower. Committed to growing fruit with outstanding flavor while using sustainable organic growing practices, Steve Ela guides a passionate tour showcasing the accumulated wisdom of 4 generations in the Rocky Mountain West. Experience where your food comes from first-hand!
Directions from Denver to Ela Family Farms
Approximate driving time from Denver to Hotchkis is 4.5 – 5 hours. We recommend planning for time to enjoy the waterfalls, rivers, and mountain passes along the way!
From Denver, take I-70 west to Glenwood Springs. At Glenwood, take Hwy 82 south to Carbondale (about 15 miles). At Carbondale, take Hwy 133 to Paonia. This will take you past Redstone, past Hay’s Creek Falls which is literally next to the highway with a widened shoulder to park on, over McClure Pass, through Somerset (a coal mining town), and down through Paonia. The drive from Carbondale to Paonia is a beautiful part of the West Elk Scenic Byway. Hotchkiss is 10 minutes past Paonia, and Ela Family Farms is another 10 minutes from there. We are surrounded by recreation areas, national forest, BLM, and national parks.
Other nearby locavore / local artistic / local adventure attractions:
LOCALLY GROWN, VINTED, DISTILLED:
Stone Cottage Cellars Winery
A local winery favorite – they host amazing dinners and have a tasting room.
Peak Spirits/Jack Rabbit Hill Distillery & Winery
We often work together, they make gin and other spirits from Ela Family Farms’ fruit! Tastings on site. They are a Demeter Biodynamic vineyard.
Mesa Winds Farm and Winery
Our neighbors just down the country lane provide intimate outdoor dining from their own farm-raised menu along with their own wines.
Alfred Eames
See how and where the wine is made, along with a striking wine cellar.
Qtori Wines
A tasting room where you can sit overlooking the vineyards alongside a cafe. Their winery is onsite.
LOCAL ADVENTURE:
Western Slop SUP
Short, guided, local on-water adventures and rentals
Eagle Rock Shelter Site
archaeological hike
LOCALLY SOURCED EATS:
Mountain Oven Organic Bakery
These folks have been instrumental in creating a local, heritage grain economy. They have two millstones on site.
Farm Runners Station
Local Food from Family Farms (shop & deli)
Paonia Breadworks
Small town bakery using locally sourced ingredients
Western Culture Farmstead Creamery
Local cheesemaker – fabulous quality and get to see the goats!
Desert Weyr Black Welsh Mountain Sheep
Visit sustainably raised sheep, try their wool & mutton
LOCAL ARTS:
Creamery Art Center
A Gallery of High Quality local fine arts and education too.
Elsewhere studios
An artist-in-residence program, often with works on display.
Blue Sage Center for the Arts
Fine arts gallery (local artists) and performing arts space. Check for events.
photo credit Brigid McAuliffe
Please bear with us if we are a little slow, and feel free to reach out to us with questions using
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Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Ela Farm Tour Dinner in the Orchard
Price range: $0.00 through $37.00
