Agricultural Field Trip

With Fall in full swing in Northern New Mexico, my choices were quite limited regarding an agricultural field trip.  However, I lucked up and found the Romero Orchard.  This family run Orchard has been operating for three generations, and during my visit, I was blessed to meet both the second and third generations.  The orchard grows several types of fruit. The apples they grow include: Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Winesap, Johnny Red, Stamen Winesap, MacIntosh, Red Rome, Jonanthan, and old summer apples, such as, Crab Apple. In addition to apples, they grow Lincoln and Bartlett pears; Hale, Alberta, Haleberta, and Early Giant peaches; and several varieties of apricots. Unfortunately, due to the lateness of the season and specific year, I was only able to view and pick several varieties of apples and Bartless pears.   However, the experience was exciting and quite humbling.  Growing up in Virginia, I have picked from orchards and individual trees throughout my life, but the challenges faced by the Romero family are far beyond anything Virginian's face. As you can see from the photo below, this is a dry, high desert climate, over 6,000 feet in elevation with volcanic soil. 

Irrigation is needed heavily in this environment and is accomplished through the old way, acequias or ditches.  These systems have been and continue to be used throughout New Mexico, beginning in the days of the Spanish Conquest of New Mexico.  The ditch system runs from the nearby Embudo river to the fields, which are flooded every 15 days. 

 

The Rio Embudo is less than 1/4 mile from the Orchard

Clovis Romero, the elder of the family, pointed out the ditch line and explained the system to me.

 

The ten acre farm is full and flourishing now.  After the first planting in the early 1900s by Octaviano Romero, a bad frost came through in 1950s, and the orchard had to be replanted.  In 1964, Clovis Romero took over the orchards, and his son, Masias, returned to assist him in 1992. The hope is that Masias will take over one day and be able to maintain the orchards. Still, all of the second and third generation Romeros have held or hold full time jobs outside the Orchard.

 

When I asked about the equipment and labor used Clovis Romero said that except for the types of vehicles used to get around the farm and to market, etc. nothing has changed.  They continue to use ladders and people to pick the fruit.  However, they have built a refrigerated room recently to save apples that don't sell right away.  Since the closure of the market where the fruit use to be sold, all fruit is picked by individuals for their own use or transported to Albuquerque, over two and a half hours away.

Although I believe this farm is sustainable because it has served survived destruction, served prior generations, and is poised to serve future ones, the farm is not an organic farm.  Mr. Clovis Romero says there are two organic orchards, one on either side of his property, but they cannot successfully grow fruit without pesticides. He said they have the healthiest worms anyone ever saw.  I think in this case the family has no choice but to spray.  Still, they assure me they do it as little as possible.  All in all, it was an exciting and educational experience.  It was relaxing as well. Plus, we picked plenty of apples for pies and trail bars.