Rocky Ford, Colorado is a small town located about 45 minutes southeast of Pueblo. We are a small town consisting of almost 4,000 people. When Rocky Ford is mentioned there are two assumptions made about my hometown: “Where in the heck is that?,” or ” You guys are famous for watermelon.” Now these two assumptions are not wrong. We are a small town built on the foundation of agriculture. Many people don’t have a clue where Rocky Ford is. And, yes we are famous for our watermelon and melons. We are known as the Melon Capital of the World. Our school mascot is the Meloneer.
I believe the 12 Key Assets of Commonwealth play a major role in every community. Every community is strong in one major area and may be weak in others. This is the case with the Rocky Ford community. Through this internship, I have learned a lot about my community and its commonwealth. The education piece is a major asset, as in other communities. It ties with our youth and students. We have many clinics which ties in with our health asset. Leisure and recreation is not as strong as the others I believe. We have a few places for resting and activities but not as much as other communities. Rocky Ford is rich in history. Our melons and watermelons can be an example of this. I believe that the Soil & Mineral Cycle and Food-shed are the most important to our community. Both tie in with our rich agriculture. The soil must be well in order for us to plant and harvest our crops. Food-shed is defined as the ecology and cultures that grow, process, market, and distribute food and food products from the local community and region. Our farmers work day and sometimes night to provide us with the best produce in the valley. Thanks to Blog #3, I have learned about Rocky Ford’s Commonwealth. Thank You!!!!
