CommonGround Farmers


Love for the land, our families, our friends and our food – that’s what fuels our CommonGround community. Scroll down to learn where our volunteers are located, or Contact Us to get involved.

CommonGround Colorado

Back to Our Farmers

Danell Kalcevic

Bennett, Colorado

Our Farm: beef cattle, corn, millet, sunflowers, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: snowmobiling, waterskiing, mountain biking, four-wheeling

Ask Me About: wheat production

About Me: There is never a dull moment for me as office manager and safety director on our farm. I manage many things, including bookwork, phone calls, taxes, payroll, bills and data entry, as well as fuel, crop and harvest logs. I keep track of where people are so they can be easily contacted. I also schedule safety meetings and often drive into town for parts.

Janette Kochis

Matheson, Colorado

Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, corn, millet, sunflowers, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, registered dietitian

My Hobbies: reading, scrapbooking

Ask Me About: food safety

About Me: I am the office manager and accountant of our centennial family farm. As a farmer, mom and registered dietitian, I care deeply about food quality and safety. I feel that it is important for all people to know where their food comes from and that we have the safest food supply in the world. Do you have food-safety or nutrition concerns? I’m happy to help!

Mary Kraft

Ft. Morgan, Colorado

Our Farm: dairy cattle

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: riding horses

Ask Me About: Dairy production, animal care and hormones used for milk production

About Me: We milk 5,500 cows on our family-owned-and-operated dairy farm. With a large operation like ours, we need a lot of technology to keep things going. My job on the farm is to manage all of the technologies for both our cows and employees in order to keep things moving smoothly.

Website: Mary’s Dairy Farm

Blog: Welcome To Our Cows Home

Sallie Miller

Briggsdale, Colorado

Our Farm: Beef cattle

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: cooking, photography, reading

Ask Me About: animal welfare, farm ownership, food safety

About Me: I would describe myself as a lifelong entrepreneur. Have you ever heard of 4-H? My brothers and I did a 4-H livestock project in grade school with Red Angus cattle that has turned into our current family cattle operation. I partner with my husband and my parents to raise them and then sell them at our annual spring bull sale.

Facebook: Sallie Miller

Colleen Peppler

Platteville, Colorado

Our Farm: alfalfa, beer barley, corn, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom, retired high school administrator

My Hobbies: arts and crafts, cooking, fitness, quilting, travel

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food prices, food safety

About Me: I very much enjoy farming with my family as a woman farmer. The year 2017 marks the 100th year of our farm in Colorado. I hope that I will become a trusted resource to answer questions from a farmer’s perspective about food.

Facebook: Colleen Peppler

Twitter: @colleenpeppler

Snapchat: coljpep

Sondra Pierce

Platteville, Colorado

Our Farm: corn, organic alfalfa, sugar beets, sunflowers, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: cooking, reading, coaching volleyball, fishing, bee keeping, camping

Ask Me About: biotechnology and GMOs, local and organic foods

About Me: I live a fast-paced lifestyle while working on the farm, taking care of my children and coaching volleyball. I also love to watch my husband and son race cars. Recently, we began transitioning our alfalfa fields to organic and they will be officially certified organic soon.

Twitter: @PierceSondra

Instagram: @SondraPierce43

Kelsey Pope

Limon, Colorado

Our Farm: beef cattle

My Work: rancher, wife, mom, editor, freelance writer

My Hobbies: writing, blogging, running, arts and crafts, overall fitness, quilting

Ask Me About: biotechnology/GMOs, animal nutrition and welfare, antibiotics, food prices, food safety, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: Aside from caring for our son, and my work as a managing editor for a livestock publication, my husband and I, along with my parents, manage a 700-head herd of Red Angus cattle on the plains of eastern Colorado. I constantly want to know more about various products I feed my family and I hope to be a reliable source for you about the food we raise. If you have questions about your food, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Website: Ag On The Forefront, Solid Rock Red Angus

Facebook: Ag4Front

Twitter: @Ag4Front

Instagram: Ag4Front

Kristen Schneider

Cope, Colorado

Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, corn, wheat

My Work: farmer, wife, mom

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, reading, running

Ask Me About: farm ownership, food prices, sustainability

About Me: My husband Troy and I have been farming near the Cope, Colorado, area since 2001. I have loved having the opportunity to raise our children on the farm and ranch. One of my most favorite memories is all five of us out in the wheat field working together to bring in the harvest.

Facebook: Kristen Schneider

Melissa Walter

Hudson, Colorado

Our Farm: corn, wheat, beef cattle, hay

My Work: mom, wife, farmer, bookkeeper

My Hobbies: baking, cooking, photography, running, reading, riding horses

Ask Me About: biotechnology and GMOs, animal nutrition and welfare, antibiotics, hormones in meat and milk, family farms vs. corporate farms

About Me: We farm with my husband, Trevor’s, family. His parents own the farm, and my husband and his brother are managers. Since I married into a multi-generational farm and ranch family, my role in the operation is to fit in wherever I’m needed. I care for the cows and calves, drive tractors and semis, prepare meals, and provide all-around support wherever it’s needed. I also help lead farm tours and have extensive knowledge of our operation. I love to share the story of agriculture with the general consumer because I believe it is our responsibility to do so. For too long we let other people tell our story, and it has led us down a path of mistrust and misinformation being spread faster than we can keep up with. I want to be part of the solution to this problem.

Facebook: melissa.ralston.12

Instagram: @melissashannonwalter

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissa-walter-332873163

Nikki Weathers

Yuma, Colorado

Our Farm: alfalfa, beef cattle, corn, oats, popcorn, pumpkins

My Work: farmer, wife, mom,

My Hobbies: baking, biking, fitness, travel

Ask Me About: animal welfare, antibiotics and animal health, farm ownership, sustainability

About Me: I was raised on a ranch, and now my husband and I live on a farm in Colorado, where we raise cattle, corn and kids. We also raise yellow and white popcorn and have a corn maze and pumpkin patch that we use for education in October. We have school groups come to the farm, and we do ag lessons in the shop, take them through our corn maze and let them pick their own pumpkins. I am also involved with my local church and enjoy fitness activities in my free time.

Facebook: Weathers Family Farms

Twitter: @Colofarmwife