19 May Sustainable living, one pear at a time
The 31st annual Telluride Mountainfilm Moving Mountains Symposium is on the subject of food: the pending crisis and fruitful options. In their third year as organic fruit growers, longtime Telluride region locals Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer and husband Eric are part of the solution.
It was not their dream. One day, they just did it. Their 70-acre orchard, New Leaf Fruit, located on the Gunnison River north of Delta, produces peaches, pears, apricots, cherries, nectarines and apples. They have two children together, five-year-old Finn and 10-month-old Vivian, who was born at the orchard last apricot harvest. Eric's other daughter, Shawnee, worked at the orchard three years ago and loved it so much she is now in graduate school in international development, focusing on sustainable agriculture in Latin America. Rosemerry's most recent poetry collection, Holding Three Things at Once (Turkey Buzzard Press, 2008), is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and explores the world of mothering, orcharding and communicating with each other and our environment.
The following is an ode to the orchard and the warm days of Summer. Should get everyone in the mood for Mountainfilm's Symposium.
Wandering the Orchard in August
by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
I wasn't thinking of
politics-sex-toddler-discipline-bankstatements-tax-due, no,
rather deep crimson cheek of suncrest peach.
Mercy, thousands of dozens of sweetening globes,
pendulous, swing-full, weighted with sunshine
gold stripe surprise! Spangled bruise-ready skin,
smooth ooooh sugared scent and more rows.
River breeze. Whine mosquitoes. Bare neck sun slapped.
There are moments we forget
that we care what comes next.
Fuzz of peach tickle life line orange syrup surrender
flesh warm singe, sing praise tongue, mmmm summer oh summer.
Juice-streaked chin, finger cavities ripe sultry glue
gotta ah, gotta yes, gotta here just this.
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