AUGUST NEWSLETTER

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We've been blooming.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Mark your calendars for our first farm to table event, 
Harvest the Sun: An Evening at Jack’s Solar Garden happening on September 16th. 
This is an event you won’t want to miss.
Email info@coagrivoltaic.org for first chance at tickets and to learn more.

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This creative writing contest presented by the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center, 
Jack’s Solar Garden and non-fiction author Gail Collins-Ranadive, gives students ages 14-17 
the opportunity to write about the possible activities within an agrivoltaic system. 
Prize money is awarded for first, second and third place!
Email info@coagrivoltaic.org for more information.

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CSA’s through Sprout City Farms are still available for a prorated amount!

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We still have two more chances for you to join us at Jack’s Solar Garden for a FREE plein air painting class taught by Jaime Gastelle Hispa on August 5th and September 9th at 9am. 
All levels are welcome, no experience is necessary and all materials will be provided.

PAST EVENTS

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Governor Polis Bill Signing of CO Senate Bill 23-092
Governor Jared Polis visited the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center at Jack's Solar Garden to sign CO Senate Bill 23-092 that directs the Colorado Department of Agriculture to learn more abut agrivoltaics - its opportunities and challenges; provides $500k towards agrivoltaic research / projects in Colorado; and offers a personal property tax exemption to solar companies that build systems that enable agrivoltaics. 
Roughly 60 people from our community attended this signing event.

High Value Agrivoltaic Crops for Colorado 
May CALC Webinar
This was a virtual panel discussion on the opportunities regarding the production of horticultural crops, medicinal herbs and other high value products in an agrivoltaic setting. 
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Agrivoltaic Policy in Colorado 
June CALC Webinar
This was a virtual panel discussion on agrivoltaic policies in the West, including CO Senate Bill 23-092, what it means for agrivoltaics in Colorado and how it compares to legislation in other states. 
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Yoga on the Farm
We hosted our first ever, Yoga on the Farm series at Jack's Solar Garden 
with E8 Yoga and Radiance Power Yoga.
 
We want to thank our local yoga studios for being so enthusiastic about giving this a go with us!

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Happy Hour Networking Event
On June 21st, Summer Solstice, we hosted our first ever Happy Hour Networking Event sponsored by our friends at AlsoEnergy for solar developers locally and beyond. We loved being able to connect various companies within the industry and further the discussion on the benefits and importance of the co-location of agriculture and solar energy. 
 
Thanks for making it all possible, AlsoEnergy!

Solar Developer Agrivoltaic Workshop
The very next day, we held our first ever Solar Developer Agrivoltaic Workshop that attracted solar developers from across the country who joined us for a day and a half to learn about the science behind agrivoltaics, agrivoltaic system design considerations and best practices in construction, operations and management. 
 
Speakers included Byron Kominek of Jack's Solar Garden, James McCall of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Liza McConnell of Sprout City Farms, Amy Marble of the University of Arizona, Anna Clare Monlezun of Graze LLC and Silicon Ranch Corporation, Christopher Toy and Matthew Sturchio of Colorado State University, Craig Scariot of Sky Pilot Farm, and Allison Jackson of the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center.
 
Thank you to our speakers for sharing their knowledge and thank you to our attendees for being part of the first (but not the last) agrivoltaic workshop in the country! 

Be Original, Boulder County: A Celebration of Innovation
We hosted our first ever co-fundraising event, Be Original, Boulder County: A Celebration of Innovation, where 150+ people joined us as we celebrated the ways our Boulder County community was pushing the envelope in sustainability. 
 
All proceeds from the fundraiser benefited both CALC and Eco-Cycle.
Our Executive Director, Byron Kominek gave his largest tour of Jack's Solar Garden to date 
(>60 people), which included Eco-Cycle's compost demonstration and carbon farming site. 
Eats and drinks were provided by local innovative companies, Meati, Rowdy Mermaid and WishGarden Herbs, with music by the famous Dr. Banjo (also known as Pete Wernick). 
 
It truly was something special to see so many new faces on the farm. 
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us! 

JACK'S SOLAR GARDEN VISITORS

We'd like to say a very special thank you to each of the groups that 
visited us at Jack's Solar Garden over the past three months. 
Thank you for your support!
School + Government Tours:                           Nonprofit + Corporate Tours:
Colorado Department of Agriculture                     AlsoEnergy
US Bureau of Indian Affairs                                   American Farmland Trust
City of Boulder                                                      350 Colorado
National Renewable Energy Laboratory                 E2
Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School                                   WRISE Group
CU Denver Architecture College                           o9 Solutions
CSU Soil Science Center                                       Rocky Mountain Institute 
Environmental Protection Agency                          Savion / Cordelio Power
                                                                             Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust
                                                                             IVLP Renewable Energy
Summer School Programs:
    Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools                          Denver Public Schools
                       Super STEM Camp                                          Renewable Energy Academy   

NEW TEAM MEMBER

LIZ VOSS
We recently hired Liz as CALC's new Administrator Assistant.
 
Liz is a passionate environmental and social justice advocate and a student in CU Boulder’s Master of the Environment program, where she is specializing in Sustainable Food Systems. Originally from the UK, she graduated with a BS in Environmental Studies and Social Sciences in 2022, from The Open University. With a business background in Operational Change Management, she spent a number of years traveling and working in Asia and Central America, before settling in Denver in 2019. Liz hopes to use this rich tapestry of experiences in her work with CALC; to fuel her commitment to build a more sustainable and collaborative future, break down social barriers and invite a broader perspective into the dominant social discourse.
 
Welcome to the team, Liz!

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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