Voices of the Past: Lessons from the Land — The Agricultural History of Southwest Colorado (Part 2)

Colorado was shaped by the people who fed it. In this documentary, Scott Perez traces the agricultural history of the region from its earliest roots — from the orchards that sprang up near Hermosa Creek in the 1870s to serve hungry miners, to the ditch irrigation systems first developed by indigenous communities and later adapted by American settlers, to the narrow gauge railroads that opened new markets and transformed farming across the valleys. Drawing on diaries, oral histories, and a lifetime of working the land himself, Scott paints a vivid portrait of how agriculture has always been both a livelihood and a lifeline in Southwest Colorado — and why the small farms still taking root here today carry that legacy forward.The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.By Scott PerezThis story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater HotelWatch the full series, Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado.