ROGGEN, Colo. –
A fire tore through a storage building at Kiowa Valley Organics in Roggen on July 7, destroying a structure worth more than $250,000, and an estimated $200,000 worth of equipment and supplies, while leaving the farm's future uncertain.
Krista Peace, co-owner of Kiowa Valley Organics, said she was at her home a mile away when she noticed something was wrong.
"I was at my house. I walked out to get to my car to go to my appointment. I happened to look over and I saw smoke, and I just, I just had a feeling," Peace said.
By the time she arrived, the 4,600-square-foot building was already engulfed. The structure held three conveyors, a forklift, pallet jacks, produce boxes, tub trucks and all of the farm's operational supplies.
"We saved and saved and saved to build that building. And now that it's gone, it's… devastating… is the only word I can think of," Peace said.
Kiowa Valley Organics has operated at its Roggen location since 2006 and has become known across the Front Range for its asparagus, along with summer squash, cucumbers, peppers, winter squash and decorative pumpkins. Peace said farming is both a passion and a lifelong commitment.
"It's also like gambling in Vegas every day of your life, where you know you can lose everything in five minutes with a hailstorm or whatever," Peace said.
Peace estimates insurance will cover roughly 65 to 70% of the damages. The building, which was 10 years old, would cost approximately $500,000 to rebuild — roughly double what it cost to construct originally. She estimates the farm needs around $150,000 through fundraising to realistically replace the lost equipment and restore efficient operations.
"If it's something where we're just going to keep losing money because we don't have the infrastructure to operate efficiently, then we'll have to close the doors," Peace said.
Peter Wanberg, co-owner of City Park Farmers Market, said his organization stepped in to help as soon as they heard about the fire. He said the relationship between Kiowa Valley Organics and its customers made the decision easy.
"When you have a face on food, and then that person needs help, it's a lot easier to support them than if there's no face to that food," Wanberg said.
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The fundraiser launched quickly and gained momentum just as fast.
"We're three days in, and we hit $40,000," Wanberg said.
Wanberg said the support reflects years of investment Kiowa Valley Organics has made in the community.
"This is something that we've relied on for years and years and years. And right now, they need our help," Wanberg said.
Peace said every contribution matters as the farm tries to finish out the season and plan for what comes next.
"You don't really feel it until something like this happens, and then you get a community's worth of support, and it just means so much," Peace said.
Despite the loss, Peace said she has no intention of walking away from farming.
"We're tiny. We farm barely 90 acres, and we do what we can," Peace said.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
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