I’ve seen a lot of changes since moving to the North Fork valley. Of course my perspective doesn’t go back to 1893 when peaches from Paonia were recognized for their delicious quality at the Chicago World’s Fair but quality, locally grown, fruit, vegies and livestock have consistently drawn accolades from afar. Recently the area has also gained notoriety for its depth of creative resources when the State of Colorado designated the North Fork valley as a certified creative district spawning the North Fork Creative Coalition – an organization dedicated to improving the economic well-being and creative character of our rural community.
As a NFCC board member, it was my privilege to coordinate the recent Celebrate the Fork event – a weekend dedicated to what the area residents were producing, from art to craftsmanship, from food and drink to books and music it made everyone proud to call this area home. It’s not uncommon for people looking for a new place to call home to be drawn to our area by its mild climate and natural beauty but also by the increasingly dynamic valley culture! My appreciation of how good we have it is reinforced whenever I have the opportunity to help someone realize a dream and decide to make this their new home.