[MUSIC] - PALISADE IS THE SWEET SPOT FOR RAISING PEACHES.

- WHEN RECEIVERS GET COLORADO PEACHES, THEY KNOW THEY'VE GOT 48, 72 HOURS TO MOVE THIS THROUGH THE SYSTEM, BUT THEY KNOW THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT TASTES REALLY GOOD.

- PEACHES HAVE MADE PALISADE A VERY SPECIAL COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T GROW EVERYWHERE.

- THE FIRST ORCHARDS WERE PLANTED IN THE 1890S, AND THEY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, AND THEY KNEW THEY WERE ON TO SOMETHING THAT WAS SPECIAL.

- I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT AND PRIDE IN THE WORK THAT MY CREW DOES, AND THEY ARE OFTEN THE UNSEEN AND UNHEARD VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY.

I LOVE TO SEE ALL THIS IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP, SEEING ALL THE NATURE.

I LOVE BEING HERE.

- IT JUST MAKES FOR A UNIQUE AREA TO GROW PEACHES, AND WE PUT OUR HEART AND SOUL INTO IT.

- HAVE YOU EVER HAD A GEORGIA PEACH?

[LAUGHS] THEY DON'T TASTE AS GOOD AS PALISADE PEACHES.

- IT'S 4:09 AM.

I GREW UP ON THE FARM, SO I KNEW HOW HARD IT WAS.

BEING A FRUIT GROWER REQUIRES ME TO BE AN AMATEUR BIOLOGIST, A MECHANIC, A TRUCK DRIVER, A PEOPLE MANAGER, A BOOKKEEPER, A SALESPERSON, A MARKETER.

I HAVE TO WEAR A THOUSAND HATS.

- 5 AM AND 31 DEGREES.

- MY NAME IS GWEN CAMERON.

I'M AN ORGANIC FRUIT GROWER HERE AT RANCHO DURAZNO IN WESTERN COLORADO.

- SO, I'LL JUST BE OBSESSIVELY CHECKING TEMPERATURES MOST OF THE NIGHT.

- FRUIT IS FAIRLY TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE, SO IN THE SPRINGTIME I'M CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE FORECAST AND THE WEATHER STATION ON OUR FARM BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE LOW TEMPERATURES THAT COULD REDUCE OUR CROP.

WHEN WE DO HAVE A FROST NIGHT, THE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR US IS WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO USE OUR WIND MACHINES, WHICH IS BASICALLY A 40-FOOT TOWER WITH A PROPELLER ON THE TOP.

MOST OF OUR COLD NIGHTS ARE INVERSIONS.

THEY'RE CALM, CLEAR, AND STILL.

YOU HAVE WARMER AIR UP HIGH AND VERY COLD AIR AT GROUND LEVEL, SO THE PROPELLERS MIX UP THAT AIR TO BRING THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IN THE ORCHARD UP A FEW DEGREES, AND SOMETIMES A FEW DEGREES IS ALL YOU NEED.

ALL OF OUR FRUIT, IT'S CRITICAL TEMPERATURE, WHICH IS THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH WE START LOSING CROP, IS 28 DEGREES RIGHT NOW.

SO WERE AT 32, WEVE GOT A FEW DEGREES BEFORE IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.

- THIS YEAR, WE HAD SEVERAL FREEZES.

WE HAD ONE IN EARLY APRIL, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD ONE MORE RECENTLY IN EARLY MAY, WHICH IS FAIRLY UNUSUAL FOR US TO GET COLD THAT LATE.

WE DON'T GET INTO A SAFE TEMPERATURE RANGE UNTIL THE SUN ACTUALLY CRESTS THAT CLIFF AND HITS US DIRECTLY.

- PALISADE IS THE SWEET SPOT FOR RAISING PEACHES.

WE ARE NESTLED UP IN THE EAST END OF THE VALLEY, WHERE THE WEATHER CLIMATIC CONDITIONS ARE MOST FAVORABLE, BOTH FOR GETTING THROUGH THE SPRING FROST AND SUCCESSFULLY HARVESTING IN THE MID AND LATE SUMMER.

[MUSIC] WHILE WE DON'T LOVE IT IN APRIL WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE OUR TENDER BLOSSOMS, IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE PEACH IS A DESERT PLANT.

IT NEEDS THE HEAT, IT WANTS THE HEAT TO FLAVOR AND TO FINISH MATURING, BUT THE COOL NIGHTS HELP LOCK IT IN.

- THEY GROW HERE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE ALTITUDE IS 4,800 FEET.

SO, WE HAVE WARM DAYS AND COOL NIGHTS, AND THAT MAKES THE PEACHES SWEETER.

AND SO, KIND OF BOTH ENDS OF THE VALLEY STARTED TO GROW FRUIT, AND PALISADE PREVAILED BECAUSE OF THE KATABATIC WIND, THE MILLION-DOLLAR WIND FROM THE DEBEQUE CANYON.

- WE ARE SITTING IN A MICROCLIMATE WHERE WE HAVE DRAINAGE WINDS THAT COME OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS.

YOU GET A CLEAR, STILL NIGHT.

AND AS AIR COOLS, IT STARTS TO MOVE DOWNHILL IN THE CANYONS.

-THOSE MOLECULES MOVE AROUND AND WARM UP AND SO WHEN THAT WIND IS COMING OUT OF THE CANYON ITS A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE HERE IN THE VALLEY.

AND WHEN YOURE GROWING PEACHES A FEW DEGREES CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND CAN SAVE YOUR CROP.

- SO, THE CANYON BREEZE COMING OUT OF THE DEBEQUE CANYON AT THE MOUTH OF THE CANYON HERE COMES DOWN THROUGH, MOVES THE COLD AIR OFF THE ORCHARD FLOOR, AND ALLOWS THE WARMER AIR TO SETTLE IN, AND THAT WAS KNOWN AS THE MILLION-DOLLAR BREEZE BECAUSE IT SAVED FRUIT FOR YEARS AND YEARS IN THE VALLEY.

THE PEACH IS A DESERT FRUIT, SO WE GET TO APPLY IT WITH THE ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF FRESH WATER OUT OF THE COLORADO RIVER.

JUST MAKES FOR A UNIQUE AREA TO GROW PEACHES.

- OUR WATER COMES FROM THE COLORADO RIVER.

SO, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THIS SPOT REALLY GREAT FOR PEACH FARMING.

WHEN IT ARRIVES ON OUR FARM, IT'S PUMPED OUT INTO THE ORCHARD THROUGH THESE POLY LINES THAT GO DOWN EACH ROW, AND THEN WATER COMES OUT THROUGH THE HANGING EMITTERS HERE.

SO, THE CANAL IS FILLED, AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WATER AROUND APRIL 1, SO THEN WE CAN START WATERING, WHICH IN A DRY YEAR LIKE THIS, WE WANT TO DO PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE THE TREES DON'T USE AS MUCH WATER IN THE WINTER, BUT THEY'RE STILL PULLING WATER FROM THE SURROUNDING SOIL, SO WE WANT TO GIVE THEM WATER FAIRLY SOON.

[MUSIC] - THIS IS DESERT.

IT'S HIGH COUNTRY DESERT.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE UTAH DESERT, AND WE'VE HEARD THAT THE UTE INDIANS MAY HAVE EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS CURSED BECAUSE NOTHING GREW EXCEPT RIGHT ALONG THE RIVER.

WHEN THE UTES WERE MOVED TO UTAH IN 1881, I THINK THERE HAD BEEN WHITE SETTLERS THAT HAD THEIR EYE ON THE VALLEY FOR THE AGRICULTURE POTENTIAL WITH IRRIGATION.

- AS FAR AS THE WESTERN EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE IN WESTERN COLORADO, IT REALLY BEGAN OFFICIALLY IN THE LATE 1880S, 1890S.

A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT GOING OUT AND CUTTING CANALS AND DEVELOPING A LIVELIHOOD IN WHAT WERE DESERT VALLEYS.

- PEOPLE WITH VISION CAME AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE IRRIGATION WATER AND BRINGING IN THE TRAINS, WE COULD MAKE SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL HERE.” - PALISADE WAS OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED IN 1904, BUT EARLY SETTLEMENTS STARTED IN THE MID-1880S.

IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 1800 NEWSPAPERS AND THE EARLY 1900S AND THEY'RE SAYING, "OH, THIS IS VERY PRODUCTIVE AND IT'S SO SUCCESSFUL.” IT TRULY WAS WORD OF MOUTH, AND LETTERS, AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

AND WITH THE EARLY ATTEMPTS AT IRRIGATION, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE KEY THING, IS GETTING WATER.

INITIALLY, THEY BROUGHT IT IN BARRELS FROM THE RIVER, THE GRAND RIVER THEN, COLORADO NOW, TO THE ORCHARD FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN DURING THE GROWING SEASON.

THEN, OF COURSE, IN 1904, WE STARTED TO GET IRRIGATION CANALS, WHICH MADE IT EASIER, AND MORE PEOPLE CAME.

BY 1910, THE WATER WAS ON EAST ORCHARD MESA, AND SO THAT ALL GOT DEVELOPED.

THE PEOPLE THAT CAME UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION AND HOW IT WORKS BEST.

- THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT IN THE GRAND VALLEY TO ENTICE PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT, POPULATE THIS VALLEY.

THEY TALKED, TOO, ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY.

"WE'LL NEVER HAVE A DROUGHT,” THEY SAID.

WELL, THE MIDWESTERNERS KNOW WHAT DROUGHTS ARE.

THEY SAID THE COLORADO RIVER RUNS THROUGH HERE, AND SO WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE IT TO DRAW ON.

[MUSIC] MY NAME'S CHARLIE TALBOTT.

MY GENERATION IS THE FIFTH GENERATION IN RAISING PEACHES HERE IN PALISADE, AND WE'RE THE THIRD GENERATION OF CONTINUITY IN TALBOTT FARMS, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY MY GRANDFATHER.

- THAT'S JUST AN OLD ARCHIVE PHOTO.

THIS IS MY FATHER AS A YOUNG MAN, MY UNCLE ROSS, AND THAT'S IN THE TIME WHEN THEY WERE WORKING WITH MY GRANDFATHER WITH A SEPARATE ENTITY FOR TALBOTT AND SONS.

- MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER, JOE YAGER, MOVED INTO THE VALLEY IN 1907.

HE TALKED HIS SON, CHARLIE YEAGER, INTO BRINGING HIS FAMILY.

MY GRANDMOTHER, MARGARET YAGER, WAS A FIVE- OR SIX-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRL WHEN THEY CAME.

THE TALBOTT'S MOVED OUT OF KENTUCKY INTO DELTA COUNTY, AND THEY STARTED FARMING AND RANCHING.

LONG STORY SHORT, MY GRANDFATHER FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PEACH-GROWER'S DAUGHTER AND STARTED TALBOTT FARMS.

I AM ONE OF FOUR BROTHERS.

THREE OF US ARE KEY PARTNERS IN THE OPERATIONS OF TALBOTT FARMS.

- THE FAMILY WAS COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN THE GROWING OF FRUIT.

BY THE TIME I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, I WAS WORKING IN THE SHED AND IN THE ORCHARDS, AND ALL OF MY SIBLINGS FOLLOWED SUIT FAIRLY CLOSE THEREAFTER.

SO, I TAKE CARE OF ALL THE FARMING SIDE.

MY BROTHER NATHAN TAKES CARE OF THE PACKING AND PROCESSING, AND MY BROTHER CHARLIE RUNS THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

- WE CURRENTLY FARM, I THINK, ABOUT 450 ACRES OF PEACHES AND ABOUT 180 ACRES OF WINE GRAPES, ABOUT 10 ACRES OF CHERRIES.

SO, A TYPICAL YEAR, OUR FALL AND EARLY WINTER SEASON IS FAIRLY CASUAL, BUT ONCE WE'RE DORMANT, WE NEED TO BE PRUNING.

SO, EVERY BRANCH OF EVERY TREE HAS TO BE PRUNED IN THE DORMANT PERIOD.

WHEN WE GET INTO THE BLOSSOM TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITIES THEN THAT SURROUND FROST PROTECTION.

OUR BLOSSOM TIMING KIND OF SETS THE STAGE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE BEGINNING OF THE IRRIGATION SEASON.

A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO PREPARING ALL THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.

ONCE WE GET THROUGH THAT PERIOD, WE GO INTO THINNING TIME, AND A BRANCH THAT'S 24 INCHES LONG, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THREE, MAYBE FOUR PEACHES ON IT.

SO WE WILL, BY HAND, SELECT AND SPACE THE FRUIT.

ANYTHING THAT WE SEE THAT'S DAMAGED OR NOT A PERFECT FRUIT, THAT'S OUR CHANCE.

- WE START THINNING THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY, AND WE END THINNING ON JUNE, AND WE START HARVESTING IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY.

MY NAME IS MARIO MORENO HERNANDEZ.

I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR TALBOTT SINCE 1995, AND MY JOB HERE IS TO SUPERVISE EVERYBODY OF THE WORKERS AND MAKE SURE THEY DO THEIR JOB.

WE FIND ALL THOSE GUYS, WE HIRE THEM FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, FROM MEXICO, SAN LUIS, MONTERREY, LEON GUANAJUATO, MICHOACAN.

WE ARE SEPARATING THE PEACH SO THEY DONT GET OVERCROWDED, SO THAT THE FRUIT IS NOT DAMAGED WHEN IT IS GROWING.

AND ALSO SO THAT THE TREE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAR GOOD FRUIT.

[MUSIC] - STILTS HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS INDUSTRY FOR A LONG TIME.

WE GREW UP WORKING ON STILTS.

OUR STILTS WERE HEAVY.

WE WENT LATER TO TRYING TO DO SHORTER TREES, WHICH HELPS OUT.

WE KIND OF WENT AWAY FROM STILTS.

NOW, WE'RE GOING BACK TO STILTS.

- A FEW YEARS AGO, WE REINSTITUTED STILT WALKING.

AND THE STILTS OF TODAY ARE FAR MORE COMFORTABLE, FAR LIGHTER, AND FAR MORE STABLE THAN WHAT WE HAD, AND WE GET HALF AGAIN MORE EFFICIENCY TODAY AS WE DID BACK IN MY YOUTH.

IF YOU WALK STILTS, YOU SAVED A LOT OF TIME THAT WAS OTHERWISE SPENT GOING UP AND DOWN LADDERS.

- IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY, WE SEE THAT THE TREES WERE TALL.

THEY WERE 14 FEET TALL.

AND THE LADDERS, TO GET UP TO THEM, WE HAVE PICTURES OF, YOU KNOW, 20-FOOT LADDERS.

AND THEN, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE STILTS SHOWED UP.

- TO SIMPLIFY THE JOB, WESTERN COLORADO GROWERS FOR YEARS HAVE USED A UNIQUE STILT WALKING METHOD.

AND WHAT BETTER WAY COULD BE DEVISED TO REACH THE TREETOPS?

- THERE'S A PICTURE OF GENTLEMEN GETTING ON THEIR STILTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE HOUSE THAT I GREW UP IN.

AND I THINK THERE WAS A GRANDFATHER AND AN UNCLE IN THAT PICTURE.

WELL, THE STILTS LIKE THESE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET UP ON A VEHICLE OR UP AT A HOUSE AND LEAN BACK.

YOU'D STEP DOWN INTO THEM, AND THEN BUCKLE YOUR FOOT IN, AND YOU'D STRAP THAT UPPER STRAP AROUND YOUR THIGH, STAND UP, AND TAKE OFF.

I AM DENNIS CLARK.

I'M A FIFTH-GENERATION FRUIT GROWER HERE IN THE VALLEY.

BEEN RAISING FRUIT BASICALLY ALL MY LIFE.

THAT'S A PHOTO OF MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND GREAT-GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, JAMES AND PHOEBE, THE FIRST CLARK FAMILY TO SETTLE IN PALISADE.

AND THEN, THE NEXT PHOTO HERE IS MY GREAT-GRANDPA LEVI AND HAZEL.

I KNEW MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER REALLY WELL.

HE WAS A CHARACTER.

THEN, HE HAD THREE BOYS, AND I'D SAY MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE ONE THAT WENT ON AND FARMED.

JAMIE AND LOIS, MY GRANDPARENTS, MY FATHER'S PARENTS, AND THEN A PHOTO HERE HAS MY FAMILY, MY TWO DAUGHTERS, MACKENZIE AND COURTNEY, AND THEN MY GRANDMOTHER LOIS AND MY FATHER.

AND NOW, MY DAUGHTERS ARE WORKING ON THE FARM AND SON-IN-LAW, ALONG WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH GENERATION.

- YES, SIR.

OKAY.

- THAT'S A BIG ROCK - BRIGGS, YOU NEED A JOB?

CAN YOU TAKE THESE TREES?

STEP ACROSS THIS.

SET ONE DOWN IN THE TRENCH.

ATTABOY.

HI, I'M CHRIS SCHMALTZ, CLARK FAMILY ORCHARDS, PALISADE, COLORADO.

SEVEN GENERATIONS.

THIS IS THE SEVENTH GENERATION HERE.

WHILE YOU'RE PLANTING ALL THESE TREES, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO SELL THE FRUIT.

SO, I'M CONSTANTLY TALKING TO BUYERS, GETTING INTO THE MARKETING, AND TRYING TO GET THE CROP MOVED BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVE THE CROP.

- MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW WERE IN SCHOOL, AND AS THEY WERE COMING BACK, I SAID TO CHRIS, "IT'S LIKE, I CAN RAISE THE FRUIT IF YOU CAN MARKET IT,” AND HE'S COME IN AND DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB THERE.

- OH, THERE'S PLENTY OF TREES OVER THERE, BRIGGS.

- THE PRIDE IN KNOWING MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND NOW WE OWN ABOUT 110 ACRES, WE'RE PROBABLY LEASING ABOUT 40 MORE.

WE HAVE A LOCAL FRUIT STAND, OUR WAREHOUSE, WHERE WE BRING THE FRUIT INTO AND MOVE IT OUT OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON A PERFECT PRODUCT, AND YOU HAVE MECHANIZATION IN A LOT OF AGRICULTURE, BUT TODAY, IT'S ALL HAND LABOR.

AND SO, THIS SEASON, WE'LL HAVE 32 H2A WORKERS.

MY FIRST PROGRESS INTO THE H2A PROGRAM WAS JUVENTINO CAME IN WITH ARTURO, AND THEY'VE BEEN COMING UP EVERY YEAR SINCE 2005.

I COME TO WORK TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY IN MEXICO.

WE ARE AWAY FROM FAMILY, BUT AT LEAST WE KNOW THEY ARE LIVING BETTER ECONOMICALLY.

YES, AND WE LIVE WELL HERE, TOO.

ONE DAY THEY ASKED ME IF WE WERE HAPPY HERE, I SAID, WELL IF I WASN'T HAPPY WORKING HERE, I WOULDN'T HAVE COME BACK AFTER THE FIRST YEAR.

EVEN SO, I KEEP COMING BACK.

I FEEL HAPPY WORKING HERE WITH CLARK.

- JUVENTINO THERE, HE'S ALMOST LIKE A BROTHER.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE JUST LIKE FAMILY.

- HERE IS GOOD NO PROBLEMS - WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR WORKERS.

AND NOW, IT'S MOSTLY FILLED BY H2A WORKERS.

THE CLARKS AND THE TALBOTTS ALL HAVE H2A WORKERS.

- THE LABOR SITUATION HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE YEARS.

PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II, WE WERE ALMOST ALL MIGRANT WORKERS, AND MOST OF THEM WERE AMERICANS.

THERE WAS A WEST COAST CIRCUIT, AN EAST COAST CIRCUIT, AND PEOPLE WOULD FOLLOW THE CROPS.

WHEN WE CAME INTO WORLD WAR II, MOST OF THE MEN IN THE COUNTRY ENDED UP IN THE WAR EFFORT SOMEWHERE, SO THE U.S. BROUGHT IN 40,000 BRACERO RAILROADERS FROM MEXICO, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.

- WE HAD A MIGRANT LABOR CAMP FROM 1941 TO 1961, WHICH WERE CABINS FOR FAMILIES, AND THERE WERE 200 OF THEM IN THE MIGRANT LABOR CAMP.

AND THE GOVERNMENT SHUT IT DOWN IN 1961, AND SO THEN ALL THE GROWERS HAVE HAD TO FIND AND HOUSE WORKERS.

- AND NOW, WE'VE GOTTEN TO AN H2A PROGRAM THAT HONESTLY HAS KEPT US IN BUSINESS FOR THE LAST 18 OR 20 YEARS.

IT'S NOT IDEAL FOR THE GROWER, AND IT'S A COSTLY PROGRAM, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE IT TO KEEP OURSELVES AFLOAT.

- THE H2A LABOR PROGRAM, THOUGH WE DON'T LOVE IT, IT'S CUMBERSOME, IT'S BUREAUCRATIC, IT'S EXPENSIVE, IT'S BECOME PRETTY MUCH MANDATORY FOR US TO PARTICIPATE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ADEQUATE LABOR TO GET THROUGH THE HARVEST.

WE WILL REMAIN, I BELIEVE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, VERY DEPENDENT ON MANUAL LABOR.

- THE HANDWORK OF RAISING PEACHES IS REALLY ESSENTIAL, AND IT'S THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE ON IT ARE MOST IMPORTANT.

SO, THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

- MY DAD NAMED THE FARM RANCHO DURAZNO BECAUSE HE WANTED TO HONOR THE WORK OF THE MIGRANT LABORERS THAT WERE DOING MUCH OF THE VERY HARDEST LABOR THAT HAPPENS TO PRODUCE A PEACH CROP.

SO, HE WANTED TO GIVE IT A NAME IN SPANISH, RANCHO DURAZNO WHICH MEANS PEACH FARM IN SPANISH FOR THAT REASON.

- IF I WERE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF, IT WOULD BE THIS TINY LITTLE FARM THAT WOULDN'T RAISE ENOUGH PEACHES TO SUPPORT MYSELF.

AND SO, THESE WORKERS, THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT.

I'M THOMAS CAMERON.

I CAME OVER HERE TO PALISADE ON A WHIM SOME 50 YEARS AGO.

IN 1982, GOT MARRIED AND MADE THE COMMITMENT TO PURCHASE A FARM.

- GROWING UP ON A PEACH FARM WAS PRETTY MAGICAL.

IT WAS THE KIND OF CHILDHOOD THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET TO EXPERIENCE ANYMORE.

I WAS OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, CLIMBING AROUND IN TREES, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, EATING FRUIT, EXPLORING THE CANYONS ABOVE OUR FARM.

- GWEN HAS TWO SISTERS.

AND GWEN MAYBE MORE THAN THE OTHERS, SHE LIKED BREAKING A SWEAT, WORKING WITH THE CREW.

[MUSIC] - THIS YEAR MARKS MY 10TH SEASON AS A FARMER.

AND WE'RE A MEDIUM SIZED FARM.

OUR TOTAL ACREAGE IS ABOUT 40, AND THE SIZE OF OUR CROP, TYPICALLY WITH ALL THE FRUITS THAT WE GROW COMBINED, IS AROUND 350,000 POUNDS.

SO, EVEN ON A RELATIVELY MODERATE SIZED FARM, WE CAN PRODUCE A LOT OF FOOD.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT PEACH FARMING IS HOW PHYSICALLY DIFFICULT THE LABOR IS.

I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT GENERALLY, BUT IF ANYBODY WERE TO GO OUT AND WORK WITH MY CREW FOR A DAY, IT JUST WRECKS YOU.

IT'S EXHAUSTING.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT AND PRIDE IN THE WORK THAT MY CREW DOES, AND THEY ARE OFTEN THE UNSEEN AND UNHEARD VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY.

WHEN YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED THAT FRUIT, YOU FEEL VERY, VERY NICE, VERY FULFILLED, TO HAVE ACHIEVED WHAT YOU WANTED.

MY NAME IS ADOLFO YEVISMEA JUPA MY JOB IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ORCHARDS, DIRECTING PEOPLE.

AND THAT IS MY JOB.

RANCH MANAGER.

- ADOLFO YEVISMEA HAS BEEN WORKING FOR US LONGER THAN ANY OF MY CREW.

THIS IS HIS 15TH YEAR.

HE IS VERY MUCH THE PATRIARCH OF OUR CREW.

EVERYBODY, INCLUDING MYSELF, LOOK TO HIM FOR GUIDANCE.

BEING HERE AT THE RANCH WAS MAINLY TO LOOK FOR WORK TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE IN MEXICO BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, WE LIVED VERY WELL THERE, BUT WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS.

SO I DECIDED TO COME HERE AND I HAVE BEEN OFFERED OTHER JOBS THAT ARE BETTER PAID, BUT IM NOT INTERESTED BECAUSE IM HAPPY HERE ON THIS RANCH.

- LUIS GUZMAN IS MY PACKING SHED MANAGER.

SO, HE'S IN CHARGE OF, ONCE THE FRUIT IS OUT OF THE FIELD, MAKING SURE THAT IT IS SORTED AND PACKED TO OUR REALLY HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE AT RANCHO DURAZNO FOR SEVEN YEARS.

THE ECONOMY IS BETTER HERE FOR ME, BECAUSE I EARN MORE MONEY HERE WORKING THAN IF I WERE IN MEXICO.

I GET ALONG WITH GWEN.

WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.

- MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY CREW I THINK IS REALLY DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF OTHER WORKPLACES BECAUSE WE ALL LIVE AND WORK ON THE FARM.

SO, MOST OF THEIR TIME IS SPENT LIVING HERE AS NEIGHBORS, AS COWORKERS ON THE FARM.

I HOPE THAT AS LONG AS I CAN, I WANT TO CONTINUE HERE ON THIS RANCH.

BECAUSE HERE IT IS ORGANIC AND THAT I AM GLAD TO BE ON A RANCH BECAUSE YOU AVOID A LOT OF ILLNESSES THAT LIKE FERTILIZERS, ARE VERY DANGEROUS.

- OUR FARM HAS BEEN ORGANIC FOR A LONG TIME.

MY DAD WAS AN EARLY ADOPTER OF THOSE ORGANIC PRACTICES.

HE STARTED TRANSITIONING TO ORGANIC IN THE EARLY 90S.

AND SO, AN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION MEANS THAT THE MATERIALS THAT WE APPLY TO OUR PRODUCE IN ORDER TO CONTROL PESTS AND DISEASES AND TO FERTILIZE OUR CROPS ARE ALL SOURCED FROM NATURALLY OCCURRING MATERIALS RATHER THAN SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS.

IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH THE APPROACH OF HOW WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

WE WANT TO SEE THAT WE'RE TAKING OTHER PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR ORCHARD AND THE ECOSYSTEM AROUND IT.

SO, ONE OF THE TASKS I'LL BE DOING TODAY IS SETTING OUT TRAPS FOR A PARTICULAR PEST THAT WE HAVE CALLED PEACH TWIG BORER.

AND SO, THEY FLY IN AND GET STUCK IN THE STICKY PAPER, AND THEN I COUNT THEM AND THAT GIVES ME AN IDEA OF HOW MANY I HAVE OF THAT POPULATION IN MY ORCHARD.

AND THEN, FROM THERE, I CAN USE THAT DATA TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT IF I'M GOING TO SPRAY IN THAT AREA.

AS SOMEONE WHO GROWS FOOD, I CARE A LOT ABOUT THE QUALITY THAT I'M PRODUCING, AND HOW IT TASTES, AND ALSO HOW HEALTHY IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EATING IT AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US.

AND SO, SOME OF WHAT I'M DOING IN THE SUMMERTIME IS JUST WALKING THROUGH AND GRABBING A PEACH AND EATING IT BECAUSE I NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PICKING AT THE RIGHT TIME WITH THE RIGHT RIPENESS.

- THEY DON'T GET RIPE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS A COLOR BREAK IN THE GROUND COLOR OF THE PEACH, AND AS SOON AS THAT GREEN TURNS TO A YELLOW OR A TAN COLOR, THAT'S THE PEACH YOU WANT.

AND AS THEY'RE READY TO PACK, THE FRUIT GOES THROUGH THE DEBINNING, WASHING, SORTING, AND PACKING PROCESS.

AND AS SOON AS WE'VE GOT TRUCKS HERE TO HAUL IT, IT THEN IMMEDIATELY GOES ON THE TRUCKS AND IT'S OUT OF HERE.

MOST OF THE FRUIT IS IN AND OUT WITHIN 24 HOURS.

IN FACT, MOST OF IT'S ON A STORE SHELF WITHIN 48.

PEACHES ARE ONE OF THE REALLY FUN THINGS IN LIFE.

NOBODY HAS TO HAVE IT, BUT IT IS SPECIAL AND IT IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

[MUSIC] WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OTHERS MAKE THE PEACH FESTIVAL HAPPEN BECAUSE IT IS PROMOTING WHAT WE DO.

- EVEN THOUGH IT IS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF PEACH HARVEST, WE WANT TO GET CONSUMERS OUT HERE TO EXPERIENCE THAT FRESH, JUICY PEACH STRAIGHT OFF THE TREE DURING OUR HARVEST.

AND IT'S A FAVORITE EVENT FOR NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, AND REALLY ALL OVER THE NATION.

SO, IT'S BECOME A VERY ATTRACTIVE EVENT.

THE POPULATION OF PALISADE IS ABOUT 2,500 PEOPLE TOTAL.

WHEN WE HOST THE PEACH FESTIVAL, WE BRING IN ABOUT 20,000 PEOPLE INTO THE COMMUNITY OVER THE COURSE OF TWO DAYS.

SO, WE MULTIPLY OUR POPULATION BY 10.

- I THINK ANY CHANCE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AGRICULTURE IS POSITIVE FOR THEM AND FOR US AS FARMERS.

SO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WANT TO COME VISIT.

- IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM, THAT THESE ARE FAMILY FARMS GROWING THEIR FOOD, AND PEACHES DON'T JUST COME RIGHT OFF THE TREE AND THEY END UP IN YOUR KITCHEN.

THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.

- BECAUSE PEACHES HAVE BEEN GROWN IN PALISADE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, IT'S VERY MUCH INGRAINED IN THE CULTURE HERE.

WHEN I GO TO THE HARDWARE STORE, THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW'S THE CROP THIS YEAR?

- WHEN YOU HEAR THE NEWSCASTER IN GRAND JUNCTION SAY, "OUR PEACH CROP MADE IT THROUGH THE FROST,” YOU KNOW YOU'VE MADE IT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR PEACH CROP AND THE COMMUNITY TAKES OWNERSHIP OF IT.

- WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY HERE IN THE GRAND VALLEY AND GRAND JUNCTION, BUT THE WHOLE STATE THAT NOW HOLDS US WITH AFFECTION AND WANTS TO SEE US SURVIVE.

- I LIKE TO DO WHAT I DO, I THINK, AND MAYBE SOMETIME I WILL GROW SOME PEACHES FOR MY OWN TOO.

[LAUGHS] FOR RIGHT NOW, I'M WORKING FOR TALBOTT, AND I THINK WE'RE OKAY.

SO, I'M HAPPY.

- THE MORE I'VE TAKEN OVER, THE MORE I'VE LOVED THIS WORK BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF THE PLACE.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF MY WORK IS THEY TAKE A BITE OF THAT PEACH AT A FARMER'S MARKET AND THEIR FACE CHANGES.

AND JUST THE JOY THAT THAT BRINGS TO PEOPLE IS REALLY FULFILLING FOR ME, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW HARD THE WORK IS.

[MUSIC]