Western San Miguel and Montrose Counties, which edge up against the Utah border in a vast patchwork of red rock canyons, juniper forests and sage-covered mesas, are better known for their extractive pasts than their fruit production.
But look closer into the history of the area, and you’ll find a surprisingly robust industry of stone fruit horticulture. KOTO’s Katie Klingsporn has the story.
This story is part of Western Slope Resources Reporting, a collaboration between community radio stations KOTO, KBUT, KVNF, KDNK, and KSJD. It provides in-depth coverage of how people and organizations are finding creative and positive ways to overcome natural resource-related challenges in the region.