PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — Pueblo's iconic green chiles are in the ground!
Farmer Shane Milberger and a crew of dedicated growers spent Wednesday morning planting 150,000 green chile sprouts across Pueblo County, kicking off the growing season and setting the stage for a late July harvest.
Milberger says he plans to plant the rest of the week.
"It's a kick-off for the year. Let's go!" said Milberger.
I headed out to Pueblo County to watch the planting firsthand. From a distance, the once-brown fields looked completely green, dotted by Pueblo's signature crop.
Because of a drier winter, the chiles are not being planted in one large field this year. Instead, Milberger and his team are spreading the crop across several smaller fields. It’s a strategy, he says, that hasn't been necessary in nearly a decade.
"We're at our second field of the day. We're having to move our fields around quite a bit this year because of the water situation," said Milberger.
Despite the challenges posed by limited water, Milberger says growing conditions are otherwise favorable.
"The ground's got good moisture, the temperatures are right, it's not too hot, not too cold, it's just, it's really perfect," said Milberger.
If the season goes as planned, the chiles will be ready for harvest and sale by late July.
"Pueblo chile makes Pueblo special," said Milberger.
Still, the cost of farming continues to rise, putting pressure on growers.
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"Ag is the pinch. Everything we do is expensive," said Milberger.
Milberger acknowledged the financial weight of the work, but expressed determination to push through.
"Be it fuel, electricity, labor, fertilizers, seed, everything has increased for us, as far as costs go. We're going to keep working hard," said Milberger.
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