As James A. Clark pushed cattle along the Oregon trail in 1897 he and his posse moved through the DeBeque Canyon following the Colorado River which opened up into what is referred to as the Vinelands of Palisade. At the time James raised cattle in Iowa, but after seeing the ample supply of water from the Colorado River and fertile soil in the valley, he decided to pack up his family and return to the Vinelands. It was not long after that when he planted his first peach trees in 1897 – establishing Clark Family Orchards while helping to build the nationally recognized staple of the famous Palisade Peach. Since then, the farm has expanded to include 130 acres of peaches, pears, cherries, apricots, and plums. Succeeding generations of Clarks have helped incrementally grow the farm to what it is today. Now the farm has it’s 7th generation of future farmers following the same footsteps as their ancestors.