Valley Food Partnership

Active in Western Colorado, Valley Food Partnership serves at the intersection of local agriculture, food, the economy, and health with a vision of a resilient regional food system that sustains the land, producers, and healthy communities. Your support helps strengthen these connections.

Your generous donation not only supports our mission, but directly impacts beginning farmers like Trisha and Michael...

Over a decade ago, Trisha Nolan was introduced to Valley Food Partnership through the Local Farmacy Rx (LFRx) program. As a single mom newly diagnosed with lung cancer, she was searching for ways to stay positive while homeschooling her son, Michael. What she found was more than fresh food—she found hope, connection, and a supportive community. “I was trying to stay positive,” Trisha recalls. “LFRx gave so much to me—I just thought I could give back.” 

Trisha began volunteering with Valley Food Partnership, helping count SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks vouchers at the Montrose Farmers Market—vouchers that also helped her feed her family. Through VFP, she also connected with Betsy Austin at Circle A Gardens, where she’s now celebrating her 10th year volunteering. 

Michael and Trisha’s journey continued through the Cultivating Farmers and Ranchers that Thrive (CFRT) program. Encouraged by VFP mentors, he and Trisha enrolled in 2023 with no clear plan. They explored growing food, tea blends, and eggs—until flowers bloomed as their calling. “100% through CFRT,” Michael says of their farm’s beginnings. 

A CFRT field trip visit to Mountain Bell Flowers in Durango was a turning point. “They did it—we could do that,” Michael recalls thinking. With support from CFRT internships and a growing network, he began turning that dream into reality. Michael interned at Circle A, and the CFRT stipend from his internships helped launch their business. “We came from not having a lot,” Trisha shares. “Michael saved every dollar and put it toward the farm.” 

Through CFRT, they also had the opportunity to attend Roots of Renewal, a two-day educational conference, co-hosted by VFP, focused on soil health and agriculture on the Western Slope.  

Today, Trisha and Michael manage six garden plots across Montrose—including church grounds, family land, and a VFP incubator plot at the Montrose Botanical Gardens. Their flower subscription program is thriving, and they’re planning a new plot and school garden at Pope John Paul II Academy in 2026. 

“Everyone we’ve talked to has really shown they want to support it,” Michael says. Their journey is a testament to the power of community, resilience, and the impact of donor supported programs.