Celebrating Legacy Volunteers with the MORP Golden Noble Award
Once upon a time, there were growers who pruned their apple trees to feature five primary branching limbs, and perhaps some still do. This is because apple blossoms typically have five petals, and apples themselves contain five ovaries that produce five seeds. The number five seems to hold a special significance for apples. This is why some traditional growers shaped their apple trees with a five-branch scaffolding, particularly in the low-headed, open-bowl style seen in our historic orchards.
In keeping with the apple tradition of recognizing the number five, this year we honor five exceptional volunteers who have consistently made a positive impact on the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP). Their contributions have been instrumental to our success. They have grafted their efforts into the DNA of our organization, becoming part of the very essence of our achievements. They actively participate, identify what needs to be done, take initiative, and follow through to completion. We are truly thankful for everything they do.
Golden Noble is a classic English apple variety known for its exceptional quality. It also represents a selection of similar apples, characterized by their golden hue with a blush, offering a delightful balance of tanginess and sweetness. These fine apples are held in high regard.
In this spirit, we are thrilled to honor our first five legacy volunteers with the MORP Golden Noble Award. This award serves as a tribute to distinguished individuals for their dedication to MORP’s mission: to preserve Colorado’s fruit growing heritage and restore an orchard culture and economy to the southwestern region. These highly esteemed people are David Sanford, Ken Amling, Judy Larner, Jennifer Stark, and Dave Hodges!
Learn about their Legacy
We understand that not everyone can contribute in the same way as our dedicated legacy volunteers, but there are still ways for you to make a difference. You might already be one of the many volunteers who are making an impact, and we sincerely thank each of you! MORP continually seeks support through sweat equity, and this year, with plans to expand by planting an additional ten acres of heritage orchard and further developing our juicing service, there will be numerous opportunities to get involved. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to be added to our volunteer list.
We will Continue to Dream Big!
MORP also needs your financial support. While we are fortunate to have amazing volunteers, the effort to conserve these rare apple cultivars and revitalize the orchard economy requires funding. We generate some revenue through tree and juice sales, which helps cover a portion of our expenses. However, additional support is essential, especially as grant funding has become increasingly unpredictable.
This is why your membership and additional contributions are vital to our mission. If MORP had just one hundred supporters donating at the $100 per month Sustain-a-Tree level, we could spend more time in orchards and less time on fundraising. While we recognize that this may be an ambitious goal, we have achieved many of our lofty orchard dreams, so we will continue to dream big. We truly value your support at any level you can provide! Please consider making a Colorado Gives donation today!
