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community newspaper
Volume 17, Number 35 | October 16-22, 2025
Community sprouting around RFHS biodome Next volunteer project day is Oct. 25 RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor
Gretchen Hofmann has been taking care of organic gardens and biodomes since landing at the Windstar Foundation, an Aspen nonprofit founded by musician John Denver, when she was 25. She made her career stewarding diverse landscapes, even teaching organic gardening at UC Davis. Coming full circle, she is now helping revive the biodome at Roaring Fork High School (RFHS) 41 years later. An article Hofmann saw in The Sopris Sun back in June coaxed her out of retirement to join a cadre of devoted volunteers bringing new life to the school’s gardens, established in 2010. As described in that article, the gardens fell into decline without students present to help during the crucial summer months. Instead, that work fell on science educator Hadley Hentschel, who transferred from RFHS to the middle school in 2024 when his wife, Lindsay Hentschel, became the high school principal. The agriculture-biology program then took a pause. Fast forward to 2025, Lindsay and science teacher Megan Ravenscraft set out to bring the gardens back with help from volunteers. Parent Karen Crownhart coordinated a redesign of the outdoor space with Christie Jensen and an overhaul of the irrigation system with donated materials (thanks to Grand Junction Pipe) and labor. The new system can run on ditch water or town water, extending the growing season. Thaddeus Eshelman, an RFHS alum and owner of TE Builders, lent his time and expertise to do the installation and diagnosed electrical issues which were resolved by Green Electrical Solutions. The Garfield County CSU Extension brought in fresh soil for the biodome, which Hadley got busy repairing over the summer with oversight by Michael Thompson, who designed the biodome with ag visionNo longer a school-specific garden program, the ary Jerome Osentowski. RFHS students and CSU Master model is bringing in more community involvement (with Gardeners have put in many hours, however, the work is edible rewards). Anyone and everyone now stands to far from over.. benefit from getting their hands dirty helping maintain “We need help, we need stuff, we need money,” an ideal growing space, albeit in need of some love and Hofmann told The Sopris Sun. For several months, she’s attention. In addition to the dome, there’s an orchard that dedicated at least 10 hours a week to the project, she said, could use some pruning, new outdoor beds in the works opening the dome each morning, cleaning up the space and even a set-up for keeping bees complete with an and planting new crops with donations and purchases electric fence. from Eagle Crest Nursery. Deb Beauchamp, Alisa Grimes, So far, financial support has come from an Aspen Guinevere Jones and the RFHS Environmental Club have Community Foundation donor-advised fund, Carbonassisted her, Hofmann noted. dale’s Seven Star Rebekah Lodge and Alpine Bank. Upon arriving, she was horrified to find a forest of According to advisory committee member Illène Pevec, thistles proliferating outdoors. In addition to install- “What we really need is $11,000 more to pay for the ing the new irrigation system, TE Builders helped mow permanent weed barrier between the new raised bed those down, followed by Roaring Fork Outdoor Volun- gardens for students, the wood for students to build those teers. This particular thistle flowers every other year, beds and to finish paying the various materials costs.” She so knocking them down two consecutive years, before added, “Donations to the school are tax-deductible! If they spread new seeds, can make a major impact with- anyone knows of a local foundation that might help us, out resorting to chemicals. please let us know so we can apply.”
ABOVE: Gretchen Hofmann worked on the first biodome at the Windstar Foundation in 1984, thanks to John Denver, Buckminster Fuller, John Katzenberger and Tom Crum. Photo courtesy of the Aspen Historical Society, Aspen Times Collection
LEFT: She is glad to return to year-round high altitude food production at RFHS’s biodome, built in 2010 by Jerome Osentowski and Michael Thompson. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
With another couple truckloads of compost to fill the boxes once they’re built, there will be community garden plots available next spring for people interested in planting their own food plants, herbs and flowers. “This is such a good, open resource for the future,” Hofmann said. This time next year, with enough help, she imagines the beds producing, bees being kept, the orchard thriving and the community hooked in, assuring longterm sustainability. Another public project day is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10am to 3pm. Volunteers are requested to bring their own gloves and tools, if possible, including trash bags, hand clippers, hedge shears, tree pruners, rakes and a broom. Donations of buckets, trash cans, weed barrier fabric and organic soils and fertilizers will be much appreciated. RSVPs, inquiries and tour requests can be directed to gretsgardens@gmail.com Folks interested in joining the advisory committee can contact lhentschel@rfschools.com