A Family Farm
Mark Peterson grew up in the potato business. He and his brother, Greg, comprise the third generation of Petersons to farm potatoes in the San Luis Valley. Mark’s grandfather, Melvin, moved to the valley in the 1930s to farm beginning with 160 acres. Since then, Peterson Farms has grown into the operation it is today. The farm stayed in the family, with Mark’s father Ron Peterson, taking over in the late 1950s and Mark and Greg taking over in the early 1990s. The farm continues to grow with each generation. Ron grew the farm to 640 acres, and Peterson Farms currently 1120 acres under Mark and Greg. Peterson Farms grows Coors barley and green manure in addition to potatoes.
Continuing the Legacy
Mark works hard to continue the legacy his father built into Peterson Farms of hard work and highest quality potatoes. Mark continues to bring a business approach to Peterson Farms and is constantly making the farm better every year. He enjoys the variety of working on the farm. He is, “always doing different things. You might be working in the shop one day, driving a tractor the next, and walking fields and rouging potatoes the next.”
It Runs in the Family
Since its beginnings, Peterson Farms has been a family affair. Mark’s brother, Greg, is the Shop Manager. Their parents, Ron and Judy, are involved with running the farm. While Ron is retired, he can still be found helping out around the farm. Mark is married to Michele Peterson. They have three children, Michael, 14, Megan, 12 and Mitchell, 8. All of the children are involved with competitive swimming and school sports. The family enjoys skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and golfing in the summer.
Staying Involved
Mark is very active in the potato industry. He is currently entering into his second term as the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee Chairman. Mark also serves on the National Potato Council, where he is member of the Expo Committee, Bylaws Review Committee and the Seed Certification Committee. Mark is also a Board Member for the Farm Credit of Southern Colorado. As for his favorite potato dish, Mark likes his potatoes best when they’re straight out of the field and fried with a little butter!