Canon City, CO
Sanctuary Stewards: Chris and Tammi Hartung

Desert Canyon Farm is owned by Chris and Tammi Hartung. It is a USDA certified organic wholesale farm in southern Colorado. The farm specializes in growing potted herbs (more than 350 different varieties of all types) and potted heritage heirloom and ethnic food plants (nearly 175 different varieties), which are wholesaled to garden centers throughout Colorado and northern New Mexico. In addition, they field grow perennial flower and grass seed crops for a German seed company. In addition to being a UpS Botanical Sanctuary, the farm is also a certified Nature Preserve. The farm’s gardens include many native medicinal plants, including Yerba Mansa, several species of Echinacea, and White Sage to name a few. Chris and Tammi have discovered that the combination of native plants intermixed with non-natives, and a protected place for wildlife and domesticated honey bees to exist is a perfect marriage.

The farm is teaming with life from the natural world and makes a wonderful environment to offer education both formally and by our lifestyle example. Each spring the farm invites folks to visit on one of the Open Farm Days, which are weekends in May. In addition, the farm hosts groups, especially school children, for tours during much of the year. School children visit the farm to learn about all sorts of topics from seeds to native plants to pollinators…even greenhouse herb cooking classes for 8th graders, and 5th graders come each year to learn about solar energy which supports the farm’s electrical needs. The diversity of what the Desert Canyon Farm offers is as broad as the diversity of plants and animals that live here. Tammi speaks nationally at conferences about all things herbal and heritage food plant related. She is an herbalist and organic grower. She has authored Growing 101 Herbs That Heal, and her new book just out, titled Homegrown Herbs. Chris is a horticulturalist and botanical researcher by training, and managed the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield for 9 years prior to Desert Canyon Farm. Both Tammi and Chris are farmers at heart, living a simple lifestyle. Desert Canyon Farm was created with that in mind, along with a desire to earn a right livelihood. You can follow life on their farm, along with accessing loads of plant-related information, through Tammi’s blog at desertcanyonfarmgreenthoughts.wordpress.com. You can also contact the farm by snail mail at Desert Canyon Farm, 1270 Field Ave., Canon City, CO 81212.