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<br />Some farmers still c � to ester Rockn y K Fnoaerptp �h(
<br />rIgIlts
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<br />displays a tibjp„ B Kit Mniclier Denver PosYStaff Writer ROCKY FORD
<br />Of CalltalOU '�;
<br />ourth- generation Arkansas; Val s > seedlings iro 30 `r*
<br />ley farmer Brian Knapp held up n his
<br />a tray of 72 cantaloupe plants agricultural water rights about 20 years , ,R s greenhousel'n
<br />ago to- divert farm waterfor golf °
<br />late last week and examined � , € Sunday lie; " no
<br />courses, swimming pools, lawns and x plan about:
<br />them carefully. x P
<br />new developments
<br />Thenhe checked a few individual root acres of ate-
<br />The latest buying spree began last "
<br />balls and concluded that they'd be ready melons this t,°
<br />fall. Farmers have sold or recently
<br />for planting n about 10 days, after six year.
<br />agmed.to sell, 755 of:the 800 total water
<br />weeks to his warm, music-filled 11ed � �qri , thereby
<br />greenhouse. shares in the Rocky Ford ditch, thereby i &W 4. •n
<br />drying'up about $,000 acres of
<br />Although several of his friends and farmland. The Denver Post ,A of '
<br />neighbors have agreed to sell their Arguments over whether farmers 1 l io
<br />water rights to Aurora, Knapp and•:his should sell the water ri hts have ripped wife and partner, Gail, are among g pp to thetwest of his own new home. His q
<br />share�wners in the Rocky Ford the valleys closely knit fabric, tearing forebears planted sugar beets and . Melon 'mecca liaa M,�
<br />families, churches and communities onions. Farmers in
<br />declined to sell theirs.. have recently apart for years. Knapp will plant 40 acres of melons Rocky Ford I' " ` q °.'
<br />Kna and others a ee that the
<br />"What would i do i€ I wasn't pp � this spring. He aims to catch first are getting � a
<br />farming ?,, he asked. rhetorically. debate is dust as, vehement today. couple of weeks of peak melon season ready to plant zo . , J
<br />Knapp joked that he might not feel. "People keep:ashing'me if Rocky- , aboutmid- August. melons.and ` ` s l d
<br />that way in three - months when he is Fordis going-to "stop. growing its famous Knapp is also growing sod, using othercrops. . fn; ? "
<br />working. 14 hours a day and stiff with
<br />melons," Knapp: said. '
<br />some of his water rights to irrigate his
<br />aching,muscles from harvesting
<br />But he is quick to reassure them there
<br />lush fields of green .
<br />cantaloupes, tomatoes, peppers and
<br />will be plenty this summer and for
<br />Another cantaloupe grower, Herb i
<br />watermelons.
<br />What's not a joke is that Kna 's way
<br />j pp Y
<br />years to come. .:
<br />Growers like Knapp lately have been
<br />melon m, who producers hiIpm a t'skin
<br />melon more suitable for shipment and
<br />of life is increasingly under pressure
<br />'
<br />keeping a watchful eye on hundreds of
<br />thousands ofseedlings.
<br />supermarket . sale, plants 300 acres of
<br />from the thirsty, growing communities
<br />cantaloupes each year.
<br />along the Front Range
<br />Farmers began.divertmg water from
<br />Within Knapp s 30 -foot by 100 -foot
<br />greenhouse are 2,000 trays ofseedlings,
<br />"My grandfather started melons, but
<br />my dad stuck with grain crops,"
<br />the Arkansas River east of Pueblo to .
<br />each containing about 72,plants. Many
<br />Mameda L said
<br />irrigate their lands before the turn of
<br />the century, digging an elaborate series
<br />are "Rocky sweets" and -honeydew
<br />melons,. others are watermelon plants,
<br />He and Knapp both .went into the
<br />of irrigation ditches. The Rocky Ford
<br />Ditch Co:, dug its 13- mile -long ditch in
<br />as well as tomatoes' and a• variety of
<br />bell, sweet, frying,. mild andbot chile
<br />melon business about seven years ago, ,
<br />but Mameda ships most: afrhisao Kansas
<br />' 1876.
<br />Aurora and Colorado Springs
<br />peppers:
<br />The Knapps sell their produce at a
<br />and Iowa.
<br />fn a good year, Mazngda expects to, -
<br />aequired.some historic water rights on,
<br />stand in front of their home at the'
<br />harvest 500 to 600 boxes an acre. Each
<br />the Arkansas River above Pueblo two
<br />intersection• of U,S. 50 and Colorado 71
<br />box °may, hold nine to 18 melons; "
<br />generations ages
<br />just west of Rocky Eordand ship some
<br />depending on their size,.he adds. ,
<br />However, as the Front Range urban
<br />sprawl pushed across the drylar�¢Is, the
<br />to farmers' markets in Denger: „
<br />Knapp, 44, grew up;h if a mile som
<br />At 050, boxes an acm.and 12.per box,
<br />hervouid be producino 1,.980;000 ,�
<br />two urban areas began buying up ;
<br />his grandfather's. Vjctorian home, just
<br />melons: "
<br />r'r
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<br />7he.Den4er.Eost; • *,;
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