ABOUT FIELDS TO PLATE
Max Fields grew up in inner-city Denver, Colorado. He left the city, making a run for the hills in pursuit of agricultural experience. Beginning his education at Fort Lewis College in 2009, he studying agriculture when he met Beth LaShell, who gave him the opportunity to work at the Old Fort in Hesperus in 2010. Fields participated in the first year of the incubator program at the Old Fort, where he could lease land for agricultural production and gain access to business resources for the 2013 growing season. Through this Fields to Plate was born.
With their passion rooted in generating an economically viable local food system for producers and buyers, Fields and his crew work hard to produce food and market it locally while insuring the health and longevity of the land they grow on through sustainable farming practices. Despite the fact that they may track mud everywhere they go, working with Fields to Plate can be rewarding as they provide a positive spirit and push for open communication in an effort to provide products and services that suit all parties effectively.
ABOUT OUR FARM
Fields to Plate strives to grow the vegetables that work appropriately with the climate southwest Colorado presents. Growing at 6,600 ft limits our growing season to around 100 frost-free days. This fact restricts our crop selection and growing styles. In an effort to extend our season of sale we utilize a cold storage root cellar to store produce in the most efficient way. This enables us to store produce for up to sixth months if need be. We also implement rotational grazing practices with our lamb operation in order feed the soil that we rely on to grow delicious vegetables.
MEET THE CREW
Max Fields
Max was born and raised in Denver, CO. He is the owner and operator of Fields to Plate Produce. In 2009 he moved to Durango to pursue his education in Environmental Studies with a focus in Agriculture at Fort Lewis College. While attending Fort Lewis he started Fields to Plate in 2013 and juggled both until graduating. Max sat on the board of directors of the Durango Farmers Market for 5 years in an effort to be involved with bringing more access of local food to the Durango community.
Emily Fields
Emily is in charge of marketing and sales here at Fields to Plate. She takes and organizes orders and coordinates those sales with our harvest team. Emily is a highly organized and professional person that keeps the scatterbrained farmers in line. Every farm needs an Emily. As her name implies she is married to Max as well and they have a beautiful daughter named Georgie.
Axel Gerhardstein
Axel was born and raised in Bayfield, CO and graduated from Bayfeid High School. Axel grew in with an interest in plants, gaining experience in landscaping, nursery management, and farming, as well as having an extensive background in construction. Axel became a full-time crew member and part owner of Fields to Plate Produce in 2017.
