There is much to appreciate about the Western Slope. The beautiful naturally sculpted rock of the Colorado National Monument and hidden gems celebrates and unites the community in ways only a small town could. However, there is one characteristic that is special to quaint Palisade. These are the sweet, fresh Palisade peaches!
Pali peaches are the cream of the crop. Every year, Colorado natives go crazy for this product. Fruit stands in grocery stores and farmers markets sell these prime peaches from summer to fall. Arguably, the firm yet juicy Palisade peaches are the highlight of the summer. Local orchards are depended upon to grow such delicious produce and provide the public with satisfaction. Mrs. Talley is a teacher here at Palisade High School. She is also a proud owner of Mosher-Talley Orchard, outside of Palisade. “My husband and I are third generation farmers, on both sides. Peaches are a really wonderful agricultural item here in the Grand Valley. But the work never stops,” explains Talley. Harvesting peaches takes time and diligence. In every season there is always something to do. Talley expresses, “In the wintertime, we prune the trees and give them a ‘haircut’ to help them grow and so the sunshine soaks in to make them sweet.” This year, Mosher-Talley Orchard was very prosperous, and even overcame some struggles. “As the fruit blossoms, there’s a pistol inside. So if it freezes during that time of year, we might lose our crop. From there, the fruit starts to grow. We water, maintain weeds and thin the fruit. Sometimes there will be fifty peaches on each limb, but you don’t want that because they will be too tiny. So, you pick off the extras and leave a couple so you get big, beautiful peaches.” With no more fruit to sell, Coloradans reflect on the bright summer days with a Palisade peach in hand. This just means there’s something to look forward to next summer!
