Hello, Cache Valley!
Starting off: Big ups to the team at Cherry Peak on their better-late-than-never opening last weekend — looked like a lot of fun up there!
This week we touched base with Logan’s new mayor to learn how he’ll be tackling the gig and we went deep on Utah State’s new water-conservation research center/winery/satellite campus in Southern Utah.
Plus, we geek out with USU lab manager (and moonlight 3D-printing guru) Andrew Caudillo.
Lastly, if you love The Cache Crop, please consider sharing it with your family and friends.
Yours,
Sam Morse
USU gets a satellite campus in Southern Utah geared toward water conservation research
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bold & Delaney Winery in Dammeron Valley.
Southern Utah resident Mark Bold is donating his 15-acre vineyard near St. George to Utah State University — a first-of-its-kind extension campus where students learn viticulture.
The deal should finalize early this year after unanimous board approval in September.
USU won’t make wine, but it will grow grapes and sell them to nearby vineyards, and eventually offer a viticulture degree.
(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Fun fact: grapes use drip irrigation, saving up to 50% more water than traditional sprinklers — half what alfalfa needs. Utah’s top crop, alfalfa, consumes 68% of the state’s agricultural water.
Bold sees grapes as a more sustainable future. And USU’s new president, Brad Mortensen — who grew up watching water get wasted on his family’s farm — agrees.
“There are other technologies and practices we can use … water is such a valuable resource,” the president summarised.
Once formally transferred, the vineyard campus will focus on water conservation and sustainable agriculture — reclaiming southern Utah’s fruit-growing heritage while pioneering new use-reduction methods and research.
Logan’s new mayor eyes solutions amid rapid valley growth
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Judge Lee Edwards, left, swears in Mark Anderson, right, as the Mayor of Logan during the Logan City Council meeting, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
Mark Anderson was sworn in as Logan mayor last week, replacing Holly Daines before a packed council chamber.
The former council member pledged to prioritize communication with residents, saying the city will work with a public information group to share updates faster and more efficiently.
Overall, growth continues to be the defining challenge. Because Logan is Cache Valley’s commercial center, as neighboring communities expand, pressure on local infrastructure continues to intensify. Especially on Main Street.
“We’re kind of the commercial center of the county,” Anderson said, “and so as our neighbors get bigger and they start to have pressure on their infrastructure, it affects ours, and that’s the whole reason why Main Street is so busy.”
Cache Valley rejoice — Cherry Peak opens for the season!
(Cherry Peak Resort) Skiers ride up Cherry Peak’s Gateway lift while eyeing some fresh turns.
After a rough start, a healthy early January dump delivered enough snow to allow Cherry Peak to start spinning lifts last weekend.
“We’re OPEN TODAY at Cherry Peak Resort!” the ski area wrote on its Instagram page. “Grab your gear and come make the most of today on the mountain!”
Why the late opening? On top of minimal early winter snow, Cherry Peak’s base elevation sits at only 5,775 feet, meaning storms must be cold to benefit the ski area. Otherwise, precipitation falls as rain, limiting overall snow coverage.
That said, we’re rooting for (many) more cold storms this season and copious powder days for the Richmond ski hill.
Meet Your Neighbor: Bug scientist and 3-D printing tabletop ‘nerd’ Andrew Caudillo
(Andrew Caudillo) The researcher explores a lush forest trail.
Andrew Caudillo manages the National Aquatic Monitoring Center’s lab at Utah State University, studying aquatic insects to assess water health for the Bureau of Land Management.
But his real passion? Painting tiny, intricately detailed miniatures — a hobby that’s become a modest side gig.
The self-proclaimed nerd got hooked on model kits around 2015, then discovered 3D printing in 2023 as miniature painting got expensive. His wife encouraged him to buy a $190 printer, and the rest is history.
(Andrew Caudillo) One of Caudillo’s many 3D-printed (and fully painted) tabletop miniature figurines.
“I love watching these things go from gray plastic to beautifully painted miniatures,” he said. He doesn’t play tabletop games himself per se — he’s just all about the painting and creating.
Caudillo hopes more Cache Valley gamers discover each other. “There’s a lot of people hidden here playing with gray plastic miniatures,” he said. “But painted miniatures let you see the colors, make the storyline narrative in your mind.”
If you’re one of those hidden nerds — or you’d like beautifully painted minis — Andrew’s your guy in Cache Valley. “It’s mostly a hobby, but I love it.”