CRMPI Info

I think a brief explanation of CRMPI is in store. Jerome Osentowski was a winter time ski instructor at vail and summertime sailor in the summer back in the 70's. After a successful summer working on a commercial boat Jerome returned to Vail with $5,000 and a desire for land. He searched out the cheapest chunk of land he could find. With no knowledge of or desire to farm he purchased a half acre on the side of basalt mountain. The selling point was the stream flowing right though the property. He bought the property for $13,000 in 1975 and began building himself his dream cabin in the woods.  Jerome then got really sick for a few years and became interested in the food he was eating. So he started to grow it to ensure optimum health. He built two greenhouses on the property and began selling greens to local stores and restaurants. Jerome was eventually run out of business by Earthbound and other mega-organic corporation farms. As a response Jerome began a nursery business and eventually the demonstration site that is now CRMPI.

There are currently four passive-solar greenhouses and two cabins on site. The whole property is edible landscaping at it's finest. Every tree and shrub you see is intentional and everything is based on Forest Garden principles. The Central house serves as the kitchen, classroom, living room, storage, and housing for Jerome and one intern. A five minute hike through pinon- juniper forest takes you to a joined cabin and greenhouse. This is where I am currently living and where interns generally stay. This is the only greenhouse not planted and though I want to right now, Jerome says we have to wait until the summer due to heating issues and lack of water.  Mana Greenhouse is attached to the central house and is the location of Jerome's 15 year old fruiting fig tree. Phoenix is the only free standing greenhouse on the property and was completed last summer. It is the reincarnation of Pele Greenhouse, which burnt down a few years ago. Inside Phoenix Jerome maintains a semi-tropical climate in which Bananas, Papayas, artichokes, 5 varieties of citrus, peppers, tomatoes, and salad greens grow. This is all maintained through passive -solar heating. 

There are two composting toilets and all water used for irrigation is stored rainwater. There are only four chickens right now, about a dozen or so rabbits, bees, birds, cats, deer, and three humans here at this time.