Various locations
Why go now: Harvest is in full swing and will only get more productive as we head into the fall, which means that taking part in a local farm’s picking, canning, butchery and herding operations couldn’t come at a better time. There are farmhouses and ranches around the state that offer authentic experiences for folks looking to pitch in and reap the rewards, from places such as Fresh and Wyld Farmhouse in Paonia () — which has vegetable gardens, chickens and goats and heirloom fruit trees that help supply its communal-style home-cooked meals — to Mesa Winds Farm () outside of Hotchkiss, where the 36 acres offer USDA certified organic peaches, as well as a half-dozen other fruits, vegetables and honey, where visitors sleep in rehabbed “picker cabins.” Looking for a more intense, hands-on, cowboy-style good time? Zapata Ranch () in the San Luis Valley, at the edge of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, is a 103,000-acre working cattle and bison guest ranch that will work you hard. For a full list of possible experiences and to get a guide to the state, visit or call 800-COLORADO. Kyle Wagner
