C Lazy U Ranch

C Lazy U Ranch, a historic luxury dude ranch nestled in the Colorado Rockies, enhanced its renowned farm-to-table culinary experience with the addition of a high-tech Vertical Hydroponic Farm in 2022. Known for its scenic 8,500-acre property and 100-year-plus legacy of hospitality, the ranch is partnering with Colorado-based FarmBox Foods to grow fresh lettuce and herbs on-site. Housed inside a fully insulated, sensor-controlled shipping container, the farm offers year-round production capabilities that surpass traditional greenhouses — a crucial advantage in the region’s harsh winters.

The container farm not only supports C Lazy U Ranch’s sustainability goals but also adds an engaging, educational component for guests. Visitors can tour the farm, learn about hydroponic growing methods and even harvest produce to use in meals prepared by the ranch’s chefs. It’s a natural extension of their commitment to authentic, healthy dining, reducing the need for shipped-in produce and creating memorable, hands-on experiences that align with the ranch’s mission of environmental stewardship.

C Lazy U already sources hay for its 200 horses and water from on-site springs, and added beekeeping to its list of sustainable practices — a popular initiative among guests. With the container farm, the ranch took another bold step toward self-sufficiency. The farm — constructed with support from RK Mission Critical and delivered by Absolute Logistics — furthering the ranch’s vision of integrating technology and tradition in a way that’s interactive, meaningful and environmentally responsible.