07 28 25 Palisade Peach Shack Owner Aaron Woolsey talks about recent crop and sales

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
David Kale here with business and money news and this
year's Palisade peach crop now exploding into fruit stands and
grocery stores all over the state, many other states. We
go live to Palisade and Palisade Peach Shack owner Aaron
Woolsey joining us live. Aaron, lots of folks really look
forward to this time of the summer when peaches and
a lot of other fruits become available. But the timing

(00:23):
of this year's peach crop in Colorado was a little different.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, it's, uh, you know, we're we're definitely earlier this year,
and you know it's the crops looking really good, but
you know, the cool spring and and uh, you know
things things are just coming along a lot sooner this year.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
How can people who want to buy Colorado peaches and
support the state's businesses and and businesses like your Palisade
Peach Shack over on the Western Slope, how can they
be sure of what they're getting in terms of whether
it's from Colorado or not.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Well, you know, for for our farm, you know, we
only support in the farmers market roadside fruit stands. You know,
it's we've got about one hundred and seven acres and
we we sell most of it to some pole sellers
that are in the farmers market's roadside fruit stands. But
then we also sell to you know, fundraisers, organizations that

(01:24):
need to raise money for you know, some some reason.
You know, churches, baseball teams, football teams, you know, those
those kind of organizations. Is where we market about thirty
percent of our fruit, you know, from our farm.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Talk about the climate in your neck of the woods.
We hear this about the vineyards that exist there for
all the wine, the Colorado wines that are that are
made there. But there's something about the climate in that
area of the state that's unlike any other in the world.
It lends itself to orchards that grow particularly sweet, juicy.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, you know, to start that off, you know, in
the in the springtime, when we have frost here in Palisade,
we stay warmer. We're right at the mouth of the
Debt Canyon, and you know, let's say on a on
a you know, a frost night for example. Uh, you know,
we may be at thirty four thirty three degrees, but

(02:22):
Grand Junction and Fruita you know, maybe twenty seven. So
by by us being here at the mouth of the canyon,
we we tend to stay warmer, so so we we
have fruit more often than not. And then the thing
that that really helps the fruit be sweet and delicious
is we have really hot days and really cool nights.

(02:44):
So that's because we live in the in the desert.
The peaches just really really thrive in that climate and
that's where that's where a lot of the flavor comes from.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Excellent. We hear about that down the road in or
Latha with oletha sweet corn as well.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Every year.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
So in addition to obviously grapes and the vineyards in
your area, palisade peach is probably the most famous fruit
that come from that area, but also apricots, apples, pears, plums,
and cherries as well.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yep. Yeah, you know our farm we you know, we're
set up to we have a couple family members that
are our big wholesale accounts and they make a living
doing this and so they you know, my oldest daughter's
in Texas, our little brothers in the high Mountains, our
cousins in Denver, and we planted our orchard to support them,

(03:37):
and our season starts with with cherries and apricots, and
then that's in June and we run until late September
with our late season.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Peaches excellent Palisade Peach Check owner Aaron Woolsey joining us
live from Palisade this morning.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Thank you, Eron, You're welcome.