SAN LUIS VALLY — After a decade of dedicated service as the founding General Manager of Valley Roots Food Hub, Nick Chambers bid farewell to the community in late February he helped nourish.  

The food hub has hired Nicole “Nick” Perchess as the new General Manager. 

Reflecting on the organization's inception, Chambers recalls the collective effort to bring the San Luis Valley's rich agricultural produce into local homes and businesses. Despite the region exporting approximately 1.5 billion pounds of potatoes annually, accessing even a five-pound bag locally was a challenge, not to mention other premium produce like carrots, lettuce, and proteins. This disparity was a driving force behind the establishment of the Hub. 

Under Chambers' leadership, the Valley Roots Food Hub evolved from a modest operation — starting with a single truck and a small team in the former Sangre school kitchen in Mosca — to a robust enterprise boasting a staff of nine, a fleet of ten vehicles, and a new loading dock underway.  

The Valley Roots Food Hub welcomes incoming General Manager Perchess, who brings a wealth of statewide agricultural connections and experience. Chambers remains active in the local food scene, focusing on ventures like the Dune Valley Distillery and the Root Cellar Market in Mosca, continuing his passion for serving fresh, local foods. 

Perchess steps into the role with a profound dedication to sustainable agriculture. Perchess emphasizes the importance of nurturing soil health, tending to animals, and ensuring ecosystem well-being, aiming to create exemplary models for future farming practices by drawing from ancestral wisdom and inspiring future generations. 

Perchess's diverse agricultural experience includes managing a multi-species, pasture-raised meat business with an on-site processing facility and cultivating stone fruits from her 300 tart cherry trees. Her farm, operating through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model for a decade, also produces honey, heirloom hothouse tomatoes, and storage hardneck garlic. Additionally, Nola Naturals, her farm, is home to Pastures of Liberty, a dairy operation supporting over 100 families across four southern Colorado counties and the Arkansas River Basin. 

Active in the agricultural community, Perchess has been involved with organizations such as the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and serves as a board member for the Pueblo County Stockmen’s Association. She also holds the position of Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Her extensive experience and leadership are anticipated to guide the Valley Roots Food Hub into a new era of growth and innovation.