Homeland Spring 2024 | High Tech on the High Plains 

Mike Blecha grew up in northeastern Colorado in Fort Morgan, but his love of music took him out of the small community as he played with a punk rock band. After years on stages all over the world, he transitioned to a career as a concert promoter, which also kept him out on the road internationally keeping the stage lights burning. He was based out of Denver at the time and said he thought the big city was the right place and the only place to really do business. 

When Covid caused the cancellation of in-person events, including, of course, concerts the world over, Blecha was trying to generate the income necessary to maintain his business and employees. He found himself back to his hometown, he married his high school sweetheart, and said he thoroughly enjoyed being in a small town during the pandemic rather than the city.  

“The pandemic was tough, it was scary financially,” he said.  

He knew he had to pivot to stay in business, so he took his knowledge of audio and technology to address a need in rural Colorado. A farmer/rancher friend of his mentioned that he was experiencing theft problems in his equipment yard. However, the friend wasn’t particularly comfortable with technology and the equipment yard lacked electricity and access to wi-fi. 

“All great ideas come about to solve a problem or address a need,” he said. “I have a dear friend in Otis, Phillip Simms, who farms way too much land and drives truck. He actually hauled stages for me.” 

Simms came to him knowing he needed work for his employees and experiencing theft. They tried a few popular brands and his internet service couldn’t support them without crashing. Blecha started tinkering and came up with a camera that was all-weather, solar powered, and ran on cell signal rather than Wi-Fi.  

It was a problem that already had a solution in metro and suburban areas where power and Wi-Fi access was plentiful and internet service was readily available to support a number of internet-based cameras. 

That big city solution wasn’t an option for many ag producers in some of the state’s most rural areas. Blecha said the cameras quickly gained popularity with farmers and ranchers who used them in corrals, equipment sheds, grain bins, water tanks, head gates, and to help monitor livestock. He has farmers who utilize the cameras to help truck drivers load commodity trailers and even cameras on snowcat snow removal vehicles on Monarch Pass. 

As the cameras were gaining popularity, the wolf reintroduction effort was moving forward in Western Colorado. Knowing the areas are remote, he’s hoping ranchers will find the cameras helpful as they grapple with the realities of ranching with wolves and he’s working to offer the most affordable options to producers facing a unique situation head on. 

While rural northeastern Colorado may be an unlikely location for a tech startup headed by a former punk rock front man, Blecha said it will remain the headquarters of the company moving forward. He is transitioning some employees to the area and has purchased storage facilities and is investing in his community, He worked with the Economic Development staff in Fort Morgan to secure local support and now the company has a brick-and-mortar location. The company is part of the Rural Jumpstart Program and can leverage a variety of types of support to help the business be successful. The statewide program is designed to support businesses in rural portions of the state that are less able to secure the larger customer base of a more urban business.  

He said he’s able to work with partners in Asia, Canada, Scotland, and across the U.S. right from Fort Morgan, and bring solutions to agriculture producers – and others – in rural areas. 

“It’s honest blue-collar networking and people here want to support small business and utilize solutions that are tailored to them,” he said. 

John Korrey, a cattle and horse producer in Iliff, Colorado, who happens to be a World Champion auctioneer as well, started using AnywhereCam after he saw them in action at Sterling Livestock Commission Company. Korrey said he can keep an eye on cows and mares, his grandkids can talk to him using the app through a speaker on the camera, and it’s affordable. He said he recently went on an out-of-state trip and reveled in checking his livestock from the other side of the country. 

The unlikely small-town business is contributing to the local economy and bringing high tech solutions to agriculture producers one camera at a time. It’s a different stage and a different song, but he’s hoping it becomes a hit.