Alex Seidel, chef and co-owner of Fruition Restaurant, is a busy man. In May 2009, he bought a crumbling farmhouse and overgrown acreage in Larkspur. Since then, he’s restored the structures, constructed a greenhouse, and started a sheep dairy. The result is a vibrant, functioning farm that provides both his restaurant and many others with pristine produce and fresh cheese. Here, a look at a day on Fruition Farm.

On the Farm: A six-week-old lamb bounces around its pen chewing on cornhusks. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The ewes crowd into the barn for breakfast. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Ramsey, the head ram, keeps one eye on his breakfast and another on the activity in the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Pressed curds are moved to the aging rack where they will mature into Shepherd’s Halo, Fruition Creamery’s soft-rind cheese. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The Cacio Pecora ages in the cheese cave until its texture and flavor evolve into crumbly, buttery perfection. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Partnering with Alex Seidel, Josh Halder runs Verde Farms, which provides microgreens and produce to Fruition and many other Front Range restaurants. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Freshly sprouted microgreens form a vibrant patchwork quilt. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: New sprouts soak up the greenhouse’s abundant warmth and light. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A butterfly rests on the misters in the hoop house as Josh Halder works on transplanting melon and bean seedlings. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Ready for harvest, giant heads of lettuce grow into the walkways of the hoop house. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The bean plants wait for the flanking corn to grow, so that they may trellis the tall stocks. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Heat and humidity keep the plants happy. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The chickens spend their days cruising for bugs in the hoop house and avoiding hooves in the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Kept fat and happy on a diet of scraps from Fruition’s kitchen and leftover whey from cheese making, the pigs main concern for the day is how dirty to get in their mud hole. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Keeping the animals watered is one of the most important jobs at the farm, especially for the lactating ewes. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Reggie keeps an eye on the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A few chickens found their way into the barn. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The ewes return to the barn after their evening milking. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Anything that is upright and sturdy becomes as a scratching post for the sheep. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Bags of wool fill the hayloft. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The resident Russian boar enjoys the breeze at the top of the hill. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The farm is not without a sense of play. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The grass of the upper pastures grows tall. It will eventually become prey to the grazing sheep. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The barnyard and greenhouse fill with evening light as the ewes return from the milking parlor. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A setting sun brings calm to the farm and provides time to breathe and enjoy the setting. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A six-week-old lamb bounces around its pen chewing on cornhusks. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The ewes crowd into the barn for breakfast. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Ramsey, the head ram, keeps one eye on his breakfast and another on the activity in the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Pressed curds are moved to the aging rack where they will mature into Shepherd’s Halo, Fruition Creamery’s soft-rind cheese. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The Cacio Pecora ages in the cheese cave until its texture and flavor evolve into crumbly, buttery perfection. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Partnering with Alex Seidel, Josh Halder runs Verde Farms, which provides microgreens and produce to Fruition and many other Front Range restaurants. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Freshly sprouted microgreens form a vibrant patchwork quilt. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: New sprouts soak up the greenhouse’s abundant warmth and light. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A butterfly rests on the misters in the hoop house as Josh Halder works on transplanting melon and bean seedlings. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Ready for harvest, giant heads of lettuce grow into the walkways of the hoop house. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The bean plants wait for the flanking corn to grow, so that they may trellis the tall stocks. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Heat and humidity keep the plants happy. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The chickens spend their days cruising for bugs in the hoop house and avoiding hooves in the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Kept fat and happy on a diet of scraps from Fruition’s kitchen and leftover whey from cheese making, the pigs main concern for the day is how dirty to get in their mud hole. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Keeping the animals watered is one of the most important jobs at the farm, especially for the lactating ewes. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Reggie keeps an eye on the farmyard. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A few chickens found their way into the barn. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The ewes return to the barn after their evening milking. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Anything that is upright and sturdy becomes as a scratching post for the sheep. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: Bags of wool fill the hayloft. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The resident Russian boar enjoys the breeze at the top of the hill. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The farm is not without a sense of play. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The grass of the upper pastures grows tall. It will eventually become prey to the grazing sheep. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: The barnyard and greenhouse fill with evening light as the ewes return from the milking parlor. By McCall Burau
On the Farm: A setting sun brings calm to the farm and provides time to breathe and enjoy the setting. By McCall Burau