Living Mesa County’s Ranching Heritage
Bio: Janie VanWinkle is a lifelong beef producer in western Colorado. Growing up in the Unaweep Canyon and Dolores River, she learned about land, livestock and water from an early age. She bought her first cow from her Grandpa, Jerome Craig, at 9 years old. Janie and husband, Howard, currently own and manage 550 head of cattle in Mesa County. Dean, their son, is currently majoring in Agricultural Business at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. The VanWinkles have a Forest Service permit on the Uncompaghre and a BLM permit between Whitewater and Palisade at the base of the Grand Mesa. Working cooperatively with the City of Grand Junction, they lease two ranches owned by the City at Whitewater. In addition to the Colorado Cattleman’s Association, Janie is on the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Board, Western CO Community College Agriculture Advisory Board, Grand Valley Power Board of Directors, and serves as a 4-H leader.
Topic: Janie will be speaking on her experiences as a Beef Producer in Mesa County. You will hear a bit about the legacy of her family in the ranching community as well as about everyday life as an Ag Advocate in current times. Feel free to ask any questions that you would like. Janie believes the best way to learn about your food is to ask the people who produce it.