100 Years of Fruit Farming

388 S. Grand Mesa Dr,Cedaredge CO 81413

22 July, 2021

Description

Chann Fogg talks about changes in fruit farming in the Surface Creek Valley since the first trees were planted here in about 1882. Chann comes from a long line of people who turn dirt into food. George Fogg, his great great grandfather was among the first to arrive in Delta County. They arrived in time to be counted in the 1885 State Census as residents of Delta, and by 1890, George had acquired the patent for 160 acres of land northwest of Eckert from the BLM. In 1893, Delta County fruit won 30 out of 40 first prize awards at the Chicago Worlds Fair, and in 1911 the headline of the Surface Creek Champion touted that Surface Creek is "IT" at Denver Apple Show with significantly more wins than any other appellation. Fruit farming really took off here in the Surface Creek Valley. By 1922, apples were king in the SCV. According to Denver & Rio Grande railroad reports for the Austin Depot, 407 carloads of apples were shipped out in 1922, compared to 89 carloads of beets and 85 carloads of cattle, which ranked 2nd and 3rd for the area. In the 1960s the majority of families living in this valley relied as least partially on income from orchards. Today only a few families still operate orchards, but the quantity and quality of our local apples has never been better.