The next program of the Animas Valley Grange will be a tour of the Orchard Hub in Dolores, Colorado. The Orchard Hub is a 36-acre joint project of the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project and the Nature Conservancy. Their goal is to demonstrate water conservation in orchards and saving Colorado’s rare and endangered apples, while turning them into value-added products such as juice and cider.

The tour will feature the juicing facility and the re-established heritage orchard, providing insights into SW Colorado’s fruit-growing history, as well as its present and future potential.

This tour is free and open to the public. Those wanting to carpool should meet at the Grange (7271 County Road 203) no later than 8:30 am. For those driving, the Orchard Hub is located at 13729 Rd 29, Dolores, CO 81323.