Orchard
Clark Family Orchards
3929 US-6 Palisade, Colorado
“I used to take trees for granted. But these days I know sitting in their presence for a while will leave me refreshed and renewed. I wonder if trees photosynthesize the soul as well as sunlight?”
The orchard is a sacred place. If you visit a farmer’s market in Colorado, you've likely tasted the renowned Palisade peach. Nestled throughout the Grand Valley are dozens of peach orchards. Palisade and nearby surroundings form the heart of Colorado's most famous and productive agricultural enclave. It is a testament to the transformative power of water diverted from the Grand River, renamed the Colorado River in 1921. Palisade has evolved from a barren desert into a land of thriving orchards and lush vineyards. Thanks to the long, sun-drenched days and cool, refreshing nights, these Colorado orchards nurture fruity sugars to perfection.
Wandering through an orchard, plucking peaches, and inhaling the rich scents of fruit and earth, the metaphors of our faith come alive. Orchards speak to us of generations and seasons. They transport us to the Garden where God formed humanity; where God’s presence walked side-by-side through the Garden in the cool of the day.
Clark Family Orchards is the oldest operating peach orchard in Colorado. Pioneering a new industry for the region and birthing a family heritage, James and Phoebe Clark planted some of the very first fruit trees in the valley on their 20-acre farm back in 1897. Their dreams of fruit cultivation predated the Grande River Diversion Dam and Palisade's canal systems. Their early crops were watered with buckets drawn from the Colorado River by horse-drawn wagons.
Today, the Clark Family Orchards continue some of the nostalgic practices, with horse-drawn plows and discs still preparing the earth for planting. The farm has flourished, expanding to over 100 acres, producing apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, and a bounty of vegetables. The youngest members of the Clark family take their nap breaks in peach boxes on the packing line, continuing a legacy that is generations deep.
Orchards lead us in a liturgy of presence. They beckon us to be fully awake to the seasons of life, to savor the fruits of our labor, to deepen our roots in times of stress, and to rest in God's grace. The pink peach blossom proclaims the arrival of spring, charting the course for a bountiful summer harvest. And as autumn draws near, their vibrant colors blanket the Valley like fire, guiding us toward a season of wintering Advent. Orchards are a sacred place.
*Thank you to Katie Lukashow for writing this article about her new hometown of Palisade. Thank you to our reader, Jaimie Morgan, for sharing inspiration and quotes on the sacredness of trees.
