Delta County is a major fresh fruit producer, particularly peaches, apples and cherries. Our amazing fruit is second only to hay in terms of agricultural value to our county, representing tens of millions of dollars. Over the night of Friday, April 17, the temperature dropped to 21 degrees and stayed there for more than five hours. The fruit trees were of course fully blossomed out and many had set fruit, thanks to a March heatwave that brought us a cruel 85 degrees.

Our farm is surrounded by orchards, and by midnight, when we hadn’t heard the massive fans roar to life, and we saw no fires from the smudge pots, we knew it was over. The orchardists wouldn’t waste the propane, as they knew there was no chance of the crop’s survival. While Palisade will recover, Delta County is reporting 100% losses – absolute devastation. Crop insurance will pay out, but not for months, and not for the whole loss. Many trees have suffered severe damage too, but they still have to be watered and pruned and sprayed, even though there will be no fruit. And there is hardly any water, anyway. For small Western Slope growers, the total loss is staggering. These are our friends and neighbors and colleagues, and we grieve alongside them.

Should you find yourself bemoaning the price and availability of local fruit later this summer, remember that we’ve had decades to address the climate crisis, and we’ve chosen willful ignorance instead. Truly, we are reaping what we have sown.