September 2021 - 10

STROHAUER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
Farms gradually built up its operations
as a conventional potato grower over the
latter portion of the 20th century and
were surrounded by plenty of other likeminded
potato farmers. The landscape
has changed drastically during this
century, however.
" In my lifetime, there were 60 or 70
growers around here, " Harry Strohauer
said. " There are still three or four east of
here, but we're the only one left growing
potatoes north of Denver. " To stress how
quickly potato growing dissipated in
the area, Amber added: " There were 64
potato growers in the Greeley area when
I was 10 years old (approximately
20 years ago). "
Colorado is divided into two
marketing districts. District 2, which
includes the highly productive San
Luis Valley southwest of Denver, is
the predominant district today, but
it wasn't always that way. The district
where Strohauer Farms is located would
typically harvest earlier than the San Luis
Valley and traditionally supplied fresh
potatoes to retailers in late summer.
Markets shifted and storage practices
improved, which played a role in earlyharvest
potatoes not having as much
demand, but the major factor that led to
the decrease in potato growing north of
Denver was water.
" Water played a really big issue in it, "
Harry said. " We even changed locations
at one point, but then, in 2012, it got so
bad to get positive water, we had to do
something. "
Added Amber: " That's really why we
got into the fingerlings and organic.
You couldn't grow crops in this area in
mass amounts, you couldn't really have
conventional russets be viable. "
Today, Strohauer Farms grows
conventional and organic potatoes -
russets, reds and yukons and red, yellow
and purples fingerlings. The farm
previously grew onions as a cash crop,
but continually had issues with hail, but
still grows shallots, as well as corn, hay,
wheat and triticale.
The Strohauers started experimenting
with specialty potato varieties in 2006
and received early interest from Whole
Foods, which wanted organically grown
potatoes, but it was the water scarcity
that really pushed them to diversify how
they grow and what they grow.
Although they still grow more
conventional potatoes than organic, they
said adding organic and a lot of specialty
varieties, which are grown in small plots,
has helped them to become better farmers.
" It's really in our blood, at this point, "
Amber said, " but we do things so much
more differently than we did even 10
years ago. "
There has been a lot of trial and error
with organic growing since they started
15 years ago. That continues even now,
as more organically approved crop
protection agents enter the market,
but added that expectations for visibly
pleased and perfect-sized potatoes also
have gotten higher.
10 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
" I sometimes question if it gets easier,
even though we have more tools in our
toolbox, " said Harry. " There used to be
more tolerance for misshapes or silver
scurf or things like that, but I think
we're now held to a higher standard
for our organics than we are for our
conventional. ... We sort our organics
harder than we do our conventionals. "
Amber said growing public awareness
of food waste, which was heightened
in the early stages of the pandemic, has
been helpful in that department.
" One benefit among so many
unfortunate things during this
pandemic is that there has been a
bigger market for No. 2 and imperfect
potatoes, specifically organics, which
has helped, " she said. " This year saw a
huge spike in consumers being willing
to go the imperfect route. "
Harry said he noticed Colorado potato
beetle pressure - which had not been
a problem with conventional potatoes
- increased when he began growing
organically. Nematodes, too, had always
been an issue and continue to be, but the
biggest issue with organic potatoes has
been silver scurf, Harry said.
" I've told them (crop protection
companies) to do whatever you need to
do (to come up with a solution to silver
scurf), " Harry said.
While insect and disease pressure
remains an ongoing issue, when it
comes to cover crops and organic
potato rotation, the Strohauers feel
pretty good about where they're at. Due
to limited organic acres, potatoes are
on a tight two-year rotation, but the off
year is all about soil health and cover
crops, rather than using a cash crop
rotation. Cover crops include hairy
vetch, red clover, peas, wheat, beets,
turnips and hay, among others. Harry
said the rotational system has been
" very successful " for them.
From left are Tad, Katie, Harry, April and Amber Strohauer.
looking to experiment with organic.
" It's brutal when you start something
and you don't know which you're
turning sometimes, " he said.
Outreach and marketing
Harry Strohauer has always been a
vocal advocate for agriculture. He's a
former president of the National Potato
Council, Colorado Onion Association
and is the current chair of the Colorado
Potato Administrative Committee
Area III. The farm is also a member
of Western Growers and the Colorado
Fruit and Vegetable Association.
Harry is frequently quoted in
agriculture-related stories because he
sees value in being a voice not only
for his family's farm, but for all of
agriculture.
" We've always wanted to share our
story, " he said. " People want to know
where their food comes from and that's
only increasing. People want local, but
even if it's not local, they at least want
to know where it's coming from and
who it's coming from. We've tried to
provide that. "
In 2015, after graduating from
Vanderbilt University and working in
Nashville, Amber returned to the farm
full-time. Like Harry, she is passionate
about making connections and sharing
their story, from both marketing and
advocacy standpoints.
" I love farming with my dad - he's
so passionate about it - so I think the
marketing drive came from a personal
place of wanting to share that passion
with others, " she said.
With the percentage of the population
that calls agriculture a profession
continuing to shrink, Amber fears the
public connection with farmers will
Fingerling potatoes at harvest. Strohauer
Farms produces many of these specialty
varieties.
While demand is increasing, organic
potatoes still make up only about 5% of
the market - the majority of Strohauer
potato acres are still conventional -
but the diversity has helped the farm
continue to thrive. In addition to
Northern Colorado, Strohauer Farms
also has acres in New Mexico and Texas.
Harry said when he runs into
conventional growers, which is still most
of the potato industry, he often gets
casual inquiries about how the organic
side is going. Harry said he is always
willing to lend his knowledge to a grower
further lag without increased outreach.
" With the general public, there is
this common misconception out there
that farmers are destroying the soil, "
she said. " The soil is our most valuable
resource. It's our legacy - it's everything.
No matter if you're conventional or
organic, soil is the passion of every
farmer. "
When Amber has time to be away
from the farm, sales and warehouse
operations, she enjoys hanging
out in the food scenes in various
Colorado cities, which has led to a
lot of connections with chefs. She has
collaborated with numerous chefs on
videos, whether at their restaurants, or
by hosting them in the family's kitchen.
The Strohauer Farms website also has
plenty of recipes created using the
family's produce.
" I love working with chefs. Denver,
Boulder, Fort Collins, Longmont - we
have these massive chef scenes and I
love hanging out with them, so probably
that's spurred some of the content ideas
we've put out there, " Amber said. " But
it does give us the opportunity to talk
about where that food comes from and
build that connection. "
Amber Strohauer is the chief operating
officer of the family farm operation.
" It can be hard to get that story out, "
she added. " As farmers, I think we do
struggle to communicate how we take
care of our land and resources, the
innovation we have going on and all
the different practices we're trying to
emulate. "
Strohauer Farms is a true family
operation. In addition to Harry serving
as president and Amber as COO,
Harry's wife, Katie, is the chief financial
officer, and their second daughter, April,
is currently helping in a management
role. Their youngest child, Tad, is a
teacher in San Diego. They also have a
dedicated staff, Amber said.
" All the varieties and changing
(packing lines) so frequently is a
challenge, " she said. " Everybody kind
of has their own area of expertise, and I
think they really take pride in it. "
Growing a wide variety of
conventional and organic potatoes
isn't easy from growing or a shipping
standpoint, but Harry said versatility
and quality are the established goals and
credits everyone on staff for buying in.
" We feel our conventional potatoes
are every bit as healthy and good as our
organic, but we realize not everyone
feels that way, " he said. " We just want to
be there to fill that market. " VGN
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September 2021

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