Hi friends,

I’m writing this after returning home from the San Luis Valley, still carrying the sound of cranes in my ears.

Witnessing the spring gathering of the Sandhill Crane is difficult to describe until you experience it yourself fully. Thousands of birds lift from wetlands and agricultural fields, their calls echoing across the landscape (upwards of 3 miles!) as they ride the cold morning air. Lines of cranes stretch across the sky, following ancient flyways that have guided them for millennia.

Watching them rise together felt like witnessing something timeless.

This year, we had the honor of vending during the 43rd Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival in the heart of the San Luis Valley. What stood out to me most wasn’t just the cranes themselves, but the people who had gathered around them.

Over the course of the weekend, I spoke with an incredible range of folks who had all come for the same reason: a shared care for cranes, wetlands, and the landscapes that sustain them.

Federal Fish and Wildlife officers.
Conservation NGO executive directors.
Artists.
Retired-folks-turned-birders.
Young birders just beginning to discover the magic of migration.
Students and field biologists.
Raptor specialists.
Farmers stewarding working lands in the valley.
Small business owners who care deeply about conservation.

Different backgrounds. Different expertise. One shared value: protecting the ecosystems that make this migration possible.

Again and again, our booth became a place for conversation. And with a backdrop of a 20-year drought in this valley, a concerning drought to our headwaters, and a geopolitical nightmare in Iran, it became our intention to create a safe space for people to hold both the horror and the beauty that our precious Earth holds every day in different ways.

People would stop in their tracks when they saw the artwork. As an artist, that moment is incredibly meaningful and motivating to keep creating. Seeing someone pause, lean in, and recognize a bird they love or a story that resonates is exactly why I do this work.

Our new Sandhill Crane design, Ancient Migration, nearly sold out over the weekend. Many visitors also chose the Magpie Mystery shirt, and a few pieces from our flagship Kambô Collection found new homes as well.

It became even clearer that our shirts are not simply garments. They are a space where people can see their values reflected back to them.

Throughout the weekend, we had many thoughtful conversations about the choices behind our production process. People were genuinely excited to learn that the garments are organic cotton, made in the USA, and screen printed in Colorado using water-based inks. And almost everyone commented on the same thing once they touched them.

“Wow, these are really soft.”

That combination of ethics, quality, and comfort mattered deeply to people.

Just as important were the conversations about impact. Many visitors were curious about how we plan to support conservation and community-led initiatives as the brand grows. Hearing that enthusiasm confirmed something I’ve believed from the start: people want their purchases to align with their values.

The San Luis Valley also introduced us to a wide network of organizations doing critical work in the region. We had the opportunity to learn about efforts focused on public land stewardship, private land partnerships, water rights, wetland health, and protecting the diverse flora and fauna that make this ecosystem so unique.

One organization we’re especially interested in learning more about is the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council. Their work includes research and grant-funded projects examining water quality, air quality, and how environmental conditions impact both human communities and public lands in the valley. We’re still calculating our offering, but 5% of our product margin will be donated to this organization.

These are exactly the kinds of conversations and relationships that make events like this meaningful.

From a small business perspective, the weekend was also a milestone for us. We had our best sales event to date, with 84 shirts finding new homes. More importantly, it truly felt like we were connecting with people who share the same values around conservation, craftsmanship, and community.

We also experimented with a new booth setup designed to feel more open and welcoming, giving people space to explore the stories behind each design. That shift made a big difference. Instead of a traditional retail table, it felt more like an invitation into conversation.

And of course, we made time to step away and witness the cranes ourselves.

We watched the evening fly-out and the dawn fly-in at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge.

Standing in the cold before sunrise, listening as thousands of cranes began calling across the wetlands, was overwhelming in the best way. When the first flocks lifted into the morning light, I found myself unexpectedly in tears.

Moments like that remind me why this work matters.

We left the valley feeling deeply inspired, grateful for every conversation, and excited to keep growing this project thoughtfully and intentionally.

We’re already looking forward to returning next year.

With gratitude for migration, wetlands, and the people who care about them,

Founder, CEO