Crestone Farm

In 2001, Shumei started a small 0.1 acre Natural Agriculture farm in Crestone located in the San Luis Valley. Despite the challenges of a harsh climate, high altitude and dry soil conditions, the Crestone farm has expanded to 1.7 acres operating open fields from the end of April through the middle of October and a greenhouse from the end of March through November.

The Crestone Farm is run by three Shumei farmers with the help of community-supported agriculture (CSA) volunteers who work in return for harvested crops. They grow 30 kinds of vegetables - mainly carrots, potatoes, radish, Chinese vegetables, grape tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, green onions, leeks, snow peas, lettuce and other crops native to the region.

Shumei has been implementing hands-on Natural Agriculture school programs twice a year since 2004 in the spring and fall, welcoming schoolchildren from the local charter school. Each season around 35 participants from grades 5 through 8 would participate in the Crestone farm program. In October 2007, the charter school expanded their Natural Agriculture program to create a school farm and involve the entire school from kindergarten to high school.