About High Altitude Rhubarb
High Altitude Rhubarb–Farm & Nursery was created by Dennis & Donna Duncan with help from many friends and relatives. The farm produces rhubarb of over 20 varieties, rhubarb plants and horseradish plants. The harvest festival is a pick-your-own event attended by hundreds of people. The farm is open to the public during harvest weekend and by appointment. The Duncans happily offer free tours to schools and homeschoolers as well as other interested organizations.
They experimented with various varieties and growing techniques for more than 5 years and first opened the farm as pick-your-own in 2008. They started a nursery and began selling rhubarb and horseradish plants a few years later. Experimentation is ongoing and as of 2018 the farm grew over 20 different varieties of rhubarb and two varieties of horseradish, including heirloom/heritage varieties of both. Their heirloom Victoria plants are phenomenal in both quality and yield…90 lbs./plant. Customers wanted then for their own gardens! Although they initially sold plants resulting from root-division of mature plants, demand quickly forced them to abandon that practice in favor of seed propagation. In 2017 they harvested the F2 generation of Victoria seeds on their way to F3 but abandoned that project as requiring too many plants be devoted to seed production. Also, their proprietary variety of rhubarb, Colorado Red, is now sold under the varietal name of “Hardy Tarty Rhubarb” by Gurney and other seed catalogues. Beginning in 2019 Colorado Red rhubarb plants could also be purchased directly from the farm.
Dennis and Donna both believe in sharing their experiences. They fear for the future of the human food supply. As a result, they harbor no trade secrets and share all information about their growing techniques and experiences. Likewise, they enjoy hearing from other rhubarb producers and would-be producers, gardeners and farmers alike. You’ll find them willing to share whatever they know and eager to learn of your experiences. Dennis’ previous career was in computer science, software engineering and mathematics. Donna came to farming from a background in biology, technical writing and teaching. Farming was a new adventure for both.
Beginning in 2025, circumstances precluded downsizing and moving and age and health prevented farming. Therefore, the Duncans began phasing out the farm. However, with their help, another local hobby farmer is planting the Duncans premiere plants with the expectation of opening for pick-your-own rhubarb once their plants are mature enough to endure the assault, a few years later. It is planned that High Altitude Rhubarb will cease public harvests coincident with the new farm opening for public harvests. Also starting in 2025, the Duncans’ nursery began selling the root stock of their premium plants rather than just plants started from F1 seeds…ie. you could purchase plants identical to their best plants rather than just their offspring, which, like all children, are never identical to the parents.