News from Rancho Durazno

Winemaker Dinner at Rancho Durazno

Reserve your seat today!

Friday, September 18, 2009

5:30 to 8:30 pm

$75.00 per person includes wine.

Call Melanie Ettenger, 970.985.5585 for more information and to make reservations.

The Feast in the Fields at Rancho Durazno will showcase local organic produce, cheeses and organically raised poultry served family style, and we are pleased to feature four wines from Bookcliff Vineyards to complement our meal:
The dinner will be held under beautiful plum trees on the Rancho Durazno property (imagine a long row of tables, chairs on both sides between two rows of the orchard), bouquets of seasonal colorful flowers on the tables, and lights in the trees to illuminate this festive event.
We will start with hors d’oeuvres passed as people gather for dinner, coordinated with the effervescent Riesling. The appetizers include heirloom tomato and puff pastry tarts, mini cream puffs filled with ratatouille, and beet salad in phyllo topped with fresh goat cheese.
The next course will feature mixed greens, eatable flowers and herbs in a citrus vinaigrette, with assorted artisan breads, coordinated with the Viognier.
Grilled seasonal vegetables, creamy polenta, and herb- roasted organic game hens will be served as the main course paired with the Cabernet Franc.
Dessert will take advantage of late season peaches and raspberries, along with vanilla crème fraiche and rosemary shortbread. Muscat Blanc will complement the savory and sweet combination.

 

Perspective on Internet Hysteria

April 9, 2009

 

Peach Crop Still Looks Good

April 7, 2009

The low temperatures forecast for this last weekend were not met at Rancho Durazno.  Our lowest temperature Saturday night was 26.  Monday morning's low was only 29.  I believe that we have at least three quarters of a ful crop on the trees.  The incoming storms are not nearly as cold, and expect more restful nights.  The frost alarm is always on, and we'll be ready to jump up to turn on wind machines if a surprise comes along.

Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers!

Thomas

 

Freezes Force Changes to CSA Fruit Shares

April 3, 2009 

Apricot, cherry and plums have been decimated by late March freezes. The night of March 26-27, cold air blowing in with the storm front swept away any warmth in the Colorado River basin that would drive the canyon breeze that usually protects Palisade's fruit orchards in the tender stages around blossom time. The wind did not let up all night, making the orchard heaters useless in the apricots. Likewise, the wind machines that sometimes protect our peaches, plums and cherries are redundant when the wind is blowing. Virtually all apricots, having completing blossom, were killed, and half of the cherry buds. A second event, Sunday night (April 29-30) snow covered the blossoms, but the temps sank below twenty.  Cutting buds showed that the rest of the cherries were probably lost (except for a few for the birds) and some peaches.  As the snow was protecting the blossoms, and the air above the windmachines being cold, running them would have chilled the blossoms even more, so all we could do was wait it out.  We ran wind machines the next night, though it was not too cold.

 

Barring subsequent freezes, we do expect a fairly good crop of peaches, and some apples and pears from Ela Family Farms. None of this is certain, as we are bracing for another storm Saturday April 4, with a forecast low of 23 degrees. The wind is expected to blow. We'll spend the night watching, and start the machines if the wind abates and there is sign of an inversion.

 

We have stopped the sale of Weekly Fruit and Fruit Bounty shares as of April 1, 2009. Deposits for fruit shares postmarked prior to April 1, 2009 will be honored, as much as possible. Members making an early commitment, sharing the risk, will have priority for the cherries, apricots and plums that we do harvest. As long as we reasonable expect to harvest peaches, apples and pears, we will offer Diminished fruit shares -$75 for a weekly share, $150 for the Fruit Bounty. Tomatoes, melons and other annual fruits may be substituted for the tree fruits.

 

Should our prospects for peaches be drastically limited, we will again curtail fruit share sales, giving priority to those whose deposits have been postmarked prior to the crop limiting event.

 

Thank you for your support and participation in the fruit crop. Please share your comments and questions.

 

Sincerely,

 

Thomas Cameron

Thomas.cameron@bresnan.net

 

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April 2, 2009

Fruit crop assessment

Apricots and cherries appear to have very few surviving buds, but there are plenty of peaches.  As the buds swell prior to opening, an air space is created within.  In addition, the fuzz on the tiny pistle -the critical component of the flower -provides an additional insulating layer.  Sunday night, March 29, snow fell giving an extra layer of insulation.  We did not wish to disturb that protection with the wind machines.  Evaporation of moisture by air movement would have chilled the buds even more.  Nothing we could do, but no rest either.  The next day's bud cutting showed that peaches were okay, but the cherry buds, having a tighter structure, suffered more losses.  There are a few remaining live buds, which experience tells me will be found by birds before they ripen.

I haven't been looking at the plum blossoms.  I've seen too many times when it has looked like the plums survived the spring frosts only to drop off the trees in June and July.  Any that make it to harvest will be a pleasant surprise.  I am glad that we have a large stock of plum jam from last year's abundant crop.

Storms keep rolling in.  Today is a respite -tonight's forecast is for 38 degrees.  But Friday and Saturday will again be near or below the critical temperatures.

Thomas

March 31,2009

Rocks Come Tumbling Down

 

While our crew was working in the greenhouse, they witnessed a terrific rockfall from the cliff above our apricot orchard.  The largest rock bounced over our 8 foot high deer fence -just clipping the top wire, and rolling down a row until it wobbled into a tree row. 

Manuel, Johan -(an intern just arrived from Peru) and I climbed up to find the source of the rock.  The signs of the rockfall were impressive.   Posing on top of an overhanging rock, Johan's right hand is pointing at the new rock in the orchard.  Can you pick it out?  Thanks!   Take it with you!

!

Thomas

Peach buds survive long, cold, windy night

March 27, 2009

My frost alarm was pinging 32 degrees at 2:00 in the afternoon!  Cold air blowing in with occasional snow flurries presaged a long night ahead.  Heaters were tested, wind machines ready to run, assorted support gear in the little Tercel.  As it was, the wind was so strong that it would strip away the heat faster than our heaters would put out.  About 3:15 am, the temperature was 25 at the house, and stayed there for the next 4 1/2 hours, except for a short spell when the wind held back and it dipped to 22.  The wind was back before making a move to light the heaters in the apricots.

I cut shoots from the apricots, cherries, and peaches the next afternoon.  Cutting the buds with a razor blade revealed that nearly all of the apricot buds, petals having fallen (blown away on the 22nd) showed internal damage.  About half of the cherries appear intact.  Fortunately, as most of the peach blossoms had opened, there was no apparent loss of peaches.  We'll start thinning on Monday!  Weather looks unsettled but not extreme for the coming week.  Still, a long month ahead until we are past the threat of damaging freezes.

Freeze warning March 26, 2009

COLDER AIR ADVECTING IN FROM THE N TODAY POSES A THREAT TO EARLY BUDDING/FLOWERING FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES TONIGHT. BELIEVE ENOUGH CLOUDS AND SOME WIND WILL KEEP TEMPS IN MESA AND DELTA COUNTIES UP A BIT TONIGHT...THOUGH STILL WELL BELOW FREEZING. BIGGER THREAT MAY BE FRI NIGHT WHEN CLEARER SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS ALLOW FOR BETTER RADIATIONAL COOLING

This is from the Weather Service Forecast Discussion, which I read for detailed understanding of the basis for forecasts.  I also look at the Hourly Weather Graph.  You can keep tabs yourself at the Natonal Weather Service website.

It looks to be a long night watching temperatures, wind and cloud cover.  We'll light heaters in the apricots if it looks to fall below 28 degrees.  Peach blossoms have not yet opened, and could tolerate two or three degrees colder temperatures.  If it looks to be that cold, and the wind is not blowing, I'll start our two machines.  We've had nine years of good peach crops in a row.  We hope to make it ten!

Thomas

Registrations are now open for 2009 CSA shares.

February 23, 2009

February 2, 2008

It's a cloudy, snowy day here in Palisade.  A day rife with at least one wabi sabi characteristic -murkiness.

Natural, simple, rustic.  Those are the elements of wabi sabi that are easy to grasp, that fit with the back to nature aesthetic of the 60's and 70's.  Murkiness, I've learned, is the manifestation of the unknown, the indeterminate, of the possible –especially the unknown possibilities.

I am expecting long time friend Evan Ela, and one or two friends of his to arrive for a farm tour and discussion of purchasing a major stake in the lands of Rancho Durazno.  This has been a possibility opening since October.  The tour will include the farm of Brant and Carol Harrison, owners of Kokopelli Produce brand, the shed and cooler where we pack our fruit, and a property at Exit 46 of I-70 that offers great potential for the unfolding business model for a truly sustainable Rancho Durazno. This weekend, possibilities must condense from murkiness to a finite form.

I am excited by the potential for Rancho Durazno with a broad and committed ownership.  Our farm has all of the physical advantages one could hope for in an organic farm.  We have the sun, microclimate water and soils to grow peaches reliably of unsurpassable flavor and quality.  You know this.  You may not realize that peaches epitomize local produce.  I have learned that the best peaches in the world are the ones that grow closest to your home.  Miles are not the only measure of locality.  The more you know about a farm, it's people and produce, the closer it is in awareness.  Peaches, along with field grown tomatoes, are the main attractions of farmers' markets all over the country.

As great as they are, there is more to life than peaches.  Having expanded into other fruits, and vegetables and flowers grown primarily for our Cameron Place CSA (Communty Supported Agriculture), I have found the richness of experience and economic stability of diversification.  With the utilization of two different commercial kitchens, we have been adding value-added product to our offerings at farmers' markets, and many more in development.  I see the demand for products from a farm near to the hearts of nature and locally-oriented people limited only by supply.  A sufficient supply of new capital will allow the establishment of efficient, commercial kitchen facillities to efficiently stabilize surplus farm produce in season, providing materials and capacity to put up and market products year round.  These products would also serve as supplemental cash flow in years when our best location and frost control tools are not enough to save the whole fruit crop.

As important as they are, peaches and products are not focus of Rancho Durazno.  Often times, as I have been delivering peaches, people have asked “How was your year?” even before the first bite of peach.  In conventional terms, I wouldn't know the answer until the whole crop was in and marketed and paid for and all the expenses of the year satisfied and leases settled.  Since I've tuned in to community based farming, I now hear the same question as “I really care about the success of you and your farm, and want to share in your feelings of success or loss, if that's what it is”.  That caring is now the central objective of Rancho Durazno.  As we develop a communty that wants to know our farm experience, and reciprocate with timely and consistent information and response, we estabilsh loyalty that will lead people to seek out and choose ways to engage our farm with economic exchange, and bring our farm into their homes, their kitchens, their hearts.

These expansions of Rancho Durazno' scope will take lots of work.  Finding more workers, even as the supply of farm workers is shrinking and becoming more expensive, is somewhat intimidating.  We have long record of success in finding enough help, and as we have developed internships and appenticeships, primarily with the gardening, we draw from a wide pool.  Janet gave us the maxim “Farm work should be a rite of passage for many, not a lifetime of tedium for a few.”   Besides good housing and an abundance of excellent fruit and vegetables, we offer meaningful training and education in organic farming and direct marketing, as much as they are willing and able to absorb.  As we are able to reach out, we are able to attract excellent, well motivated interns, apprentices, volunteers and farmworkers from all over the world.  As we create year round jobs, that pool will become deeper.

If this partnership manifests, I am enthused to build upon 29 years here in Palisade, and give another ten to fulfill this vision.  As our calendars reach 2020, someone will have taken my active roles in Rancho Durazno.  Perhaps Brant and Carol's sons, perhaps someone who has joined as family or partner.  I am confident that Rancho Durazno will have a life of its own, and will outlive me.

In the murkiness, there is also the real possiblity that this envisioned partnership will not bear fruit.  Will the ownership of the farm become dispersed?  Will I end up owning a smaller farm?  Would a smaller farm have the critical mass to sustain itself and my needs?   It could go on.  The CSA and garden are situated on farmland that is not at risk.  Peaches and the portal to the wild canyons beyond are dear to me, and I cannot abandon this place.  I may have to find work off the farm to feed myself and fund travelling.

It's so nice to be able to look out at the falling snow as I am writing.  I think I'll snap a photo of it to send along to you, and then give the storm my fullest attention in the here and now.

December 20, 2007

Life has been full.  Regretfully, I haven't been keeping our news up to date.  The farm had a good year, and I am eager to grow in the new year.

In the transition from our old email account of rdurazno@aol.com, I lost all the emails and addresses in our AOL file. Emails sent to rdurazno@aol.com have not reached me since June of 2006.  If you haven't heard back from me for a couple of years, please write to thomas.cameron@bresnan.net.  I want to stay in touch with all who have experienced Rancho Durazno.

I am off for Marcy's graduation from the University of Colorado.  Janet and I are proud of her accomplishment and beginning of her career in Architecture.

Thomas

August 31, 2007

We are in the latter days of our peach harvest.  It's been a good year -very busy!  We'll still have peaches at the farmers' markets through the middle of September.  We'll also have pears and apples at Littleton, Carbondale, Palisade and Grand Junction farmers markets through September.  Here's a report from Steve Ela, who grows the pears and apples we take to those markets and for Cameron Place CSA fruit shares, as well as for Monroe Organic Farm and Delaney Farm:

 

February 18, 2007

Pruning is near completion. Seeds are in. We'll be planting in the greenhouse by the first of March. Three months from now, we'll be hosting the first pick up of Early Salad Shares!

 

Introducing a new face on the farm.

 

Bob and Joan Weiss owned and operated the Sundrop Grocery in Grand Junction for 28 years, serving as local heart and soul of alternative, natural food sourcing. Now that regional interests fill the retail niche, Bob has moved upstream to join us at Rancho Durazno and the Cameron Place CSA -the Grand Valley 's home for organic food direct from the local fields where it grows. Bob's skills as carpenter have already been put to use on the farm, constructing the flower cooler and the west wall of the barn. He has since built another wall and a fine barn door to further shelter our inside space from sun and wind. We've cleared out the old peach packing line, and will be making better use of the interior of the barn. This month of February, Bob is erecting a much larger greenhouse for Janet's flower operation. Filling the role as membership coordinator is another vital CSA role that Bob will fill. Want to know more about how Community Supported Agriculture works? Questions about the status of your membership? Call Bob at 261 6538

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December 2005 News from the Cameron Place

 

Seasons Greetings CSA members!

 

As the nights get cold and the ground grows hard, we are still busy in the orchards at Rancho Durazno , although winter brings a welcome respite from the business of summer.

 

The beds at the vegetable farm have finally been put to sleep, dead plants have been pulled, and the soil has been turned over for a much-deserved rest. We are so pleased with the yield this year; not only in being able to make so many new friends, but our little plot of land also produced more than we could have hoped. According to the Billie, the man with the master plan, “we used less space and gave out way more than initially anticipated in shares.”

 

This was due in no small part not only to the dedication and witty know-how of Billi, but also to resident WWOOFERS Simon and Melanie. Our two talented young farmers are wintering in Pittsburgh (we don't understand it either,) but they vow to return in the spring for another season of CSA – we miss you guys!

 

Due to both the great response we received from members as well as the fantastic yields, Thomas has decided to expand the garden next year. This means we will be able to double the number of shares available in order to hopefully satisfy the overwhelming interest we have received from potential new members. So please, tell any friends who are interested to sign up as early as possible in order to reserve a share. Existing members will have first choice to continue with the CSA or cancel their membership, as long as you let us know by February.

 

There will also be some changes and improvements next year, as we have learned much about this desert soil and the critters that make their home here. Most varieties of greens, squash, peppers, eggplants, onions and potatoes did fantastic, whereas our tomatoes did not do so hot. Our plan of attack for next summer is that we will plant more resistant varieties of tomatoes, we will start earlier and we are also going to give them more shelter to stop disease from spreading. Billy is optimistic that things in the tomato department will only improve.

 

We will also be expanding the traditional varieties of all the vegetables, although we will continue with some more experimental heirlooms. On top of this we would like to offer more opportunity for members to participate in the growing season, to be more in tune with the entire process of growth and harvest. This means encouraging people to come pick their own veggies, and offering you access to participate in the process of organic growing as a whole, so let us know what your interests are.

 

According to your survey responses, members will continue to select their own veggies and we will add another pick up date as well. We are also going to have an “exchange box” at pick up locations, where members can trade veggies they don't want.

 

Overall, we see last season as a huge success and would like to thank all of you for supporting organic farming, for supporting your health, and the health of the planet. We see your participation in Community Supported Agriculture as progress, a step toward health and balance on many levels and are grateful to live in the community that we do.

 

Enjoy the crisp winter sunshine, dream of luscious spring vegetables to come, and we hope to see you next season.

 

Take care,

 

 

June 3, 2005

A rainy Friday offers a respite.  It's a relief to sense that the veggies and fruit trees are soaking up this good rain.  The May hot spell was stressful, though more for the farmer than the farm.  When weather moderated, and we were able to give the field a full irrigation, the plants have really responded.

On June 13 and 16 we'll offer your first vegetable shares for pickup.  Looks as though we'll be bringing radishes, chard, beets, lettuce, mesclun salad mix and zucchini squash for the first share.

The Downtown Farmers' Market does not begin until the 23 rd .  We still must set up an alternate pick up site for the Grand Junction pickup of the 16 th .  With permission of the downtown, we hope to use a parking lot location.

Community based farming is quite different from my way of farming these last 25 years.  With so much to learn, and some of it the hard way, the challenges of nurturing thousands of tiny (compared to fruit trees), vulnerable plants under a fiercely hot sun and powerful winds.  These challenges come on top of typical challenges with the orchards –rebuilding an orchard mower, worrying about needing to rebuild an irrigation pump, wondering how much hail damage from an April storm will be left after peach thinning.  My habitual response is stick to the farm and work on the problems that can be fixed, and keep an eye (wary or blind) on those problems that defy immediate solution.  It's an experience of faith that it all works out, not necessarily comfortable along the way.  I would as soon keep it all to myself, and not spread the worrying, but I am thinking of you all as family members that want and deserve to know how things are going our on the farm.  Knowing the vulnerability and tenuousness of gardening in the desert enriches the taste.  Community Sustaining Agriculture is much more than a novel produce marketing and distribution system, it is a deeper experience of food for all involved.

Sharing some of the problems of the farm with you here in this letter relieves my worries to sense my own deeper excitement in knowing that our three acre garden is growing really well, and a dream is being realized.  We don't know the details of how this unfolds.  In walking through the vegetable field, experiencing the daily growth and vitality of the plantings, I can see that is all unfolding, and that we will be presenting you with vegetables and fruits worthy of your expectations.

Hold on to your fruit expectations.  Cherries have just begun to turn red, and won't be ripe before the 20 th of June.

 

CSA @ The Cameron Place May Newsletter

April 8, 2005

Look for another good story this Sunday, this time in the Daily Sentinel.  Bob Kruetchman spent a good while visiting with us, and the editors sent out a photographer the next day.  Look for a view of the Cameron Place in bloom.

Response to the CSA as awesome and heartwarming.  Thank you to all our new members!   Most people signing up todate are opting for the Thursday Grand Junction Farmers' Market pick up site.  It will be great to have lots of regulars coming around each market.  We encourage folks to sign up to pick up Mondays at the farm.  Not only is it a great opportunity to connect with the place the food is growing, but it will also balance our twice a week harvest.  An article in Farm and Garden offers some pros and cons about on farm pick ups.  We're happy to offer both, and are happy that we can offer convenience for the time constrained, as well as an on farm experience.  Of course, all members are welcome on the farm for celebration occasions and volunteer days.

April 3, 2005

We are launching our CSA.  The Grand Junction Free Press interviewed us last week, and ran a front page story.  We have enjoyed a great response.  Many people have been part of CSA's in other communities, and are eager to join one here.  We have an application flyer you can read by following this link.  We can send it to you by e-mail , or call for more information at 970.261.4973

No problems with a Freeze Warning

March 31, 2005

The National Weather Service posted a Freeze Warning for last night, and conditions looked as if it could turn colder than the forecast.  We tested the heaters in the cherry orchard, giving an opportunity for our good crew of workers, interns and volunteers to play with fire.  It's a little intimidating the first time one lights the burners, as they fill with propane gas, and ignite with a pop.  We could feel the heat right away.  Found a few that needed seeds and stuff knocked out, and a couple to replace.  Our two wind machines have been serviced, fueled and ready to go.  We moved one machine across the road to our 6 year old block of Redhaven and Newhaven peaches near the Colorado River.

Checking the temperature at 7:30 last night, it was already down to 34.  We'd had a good snow shower just before sunset.  I thought it could be a long cold night.  I tried to sleep early, but the alarm went off at 31 at 8:00 pm, soon it was 29. The starts were twinkling --it could get colder quite rapidly!  With the snow on the buds and blossoms, I knew they had a extra protection from freezing, and I wouldn't want to blow that off with the wind machines.  I did start the one by the river to shake off a bit of ice on the propeller.  An out of balance prop shakes quite violently, with the risk of breaking apart.  As I turned the machine off, the temperature was up to 33.  High clouds were obscuring the stars.  It's remarkable the difference clouds make.

I went back to bed.  Waking at 11:00.  The alarm read 34, and the stars were hazy, and the wind whistled in the window.  I slept through the night, with a frequent I on the reassurring reading of 33-34.  The canyon wind is strong this morning, and we are quite grateful.  Tonight will be another story.

Thomas

P.S. My portrait was used in a good story on Terra Madre by Deborah Madison in this month's Orion magazine.  You can read it at www.oriononline.org

 

 

January 11, 2005