Meet Jude Schuenemeyer | CoFounder, Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jude Schuenemeyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jude, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
(In regards to forming a non profit, not starting own business) The roots of Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP) were established when co-founders Jude and Addie Schuenemeyer began their horticulture careers in 2001. For fifteen years, they ran a nursery that had originally been in business for over 50 years and had a lot of older clientele who often asked about apple varieties they remembered enjoying as children. In asking around, the Schuenemeyers realized just how many old trees still grew in the region – hidden or right in plain sight – sometimes forgotten, and other times revered by the families who always remembered. They founded MORP in 2008 with the belief that the remarkable orchard culture and economy that once thrived in southwestern Colorado could be rebuilt.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP) works to preserve Colorado’s fruit- growing heritage and restore an orchard culture and economy to the southwestern region.

MORP envisions southwestern Colorado being renowned for an orchard culture and economy based on the legendary quality and diversity of Montezuma Valley Fruits

Remnants of Colorado’s early fruit diversity remain in our rural and urban landscape. The trees are hidden or right in plain sight – sometimes forgotten, and other times revered by the families who always remembered. MORP is dedicated to preserving this fruitful legacy.

Milestones include:

* 6K historic fruit trees located.
* 200+ heritage apple cultivars preserved.
* 1K+ rare & endangered apple trees planted in school, community, research, & conservation orchards.
* 7K+ apple trees grafted for sale or donation to the public.
* 2 historic orchard sites saved for future generations.
* 3K+ students taught lessons on Colorado’s fruit growing history & how to graft.
* 1M+ dollars raised & invested to rebuild the critical land & infrastructure needed to store & process the region’s previously wasted heritage fruit into a value-added juice product.

Old Colorado apples have an urgent and rare opportunity to be renowned again. Although MORP has made progress documenting Colorado’s historic orchards there remains an urgency to build upon this work before more of Colorado’s historic apple varieties are lost. We invite you to join us and learn how to support these efforts at www.montezumaorchard.org

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A great time to visit SW Colorado is during MORP’s Orchard Social held the second SAT of every October. Join us with your family and friends to celebrate orchard country with apples, trees, cider, music, and more. Make a trip of it to visit local cideries including Fenceline and Eso Terra. Stop at the historic Gold Medal Orchard and Dolores Community Heritage Orchard. Hike, bike, and camp in the diverse landscape ranging from mountain to desert communities. Tour the San Juan and La Plata Mountains, Mesa Verde National Park, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Navajo Tribal Park…. Eat lots of local food and visit the area’s art galleries, cultural centers, and museums.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The fruit growers of Colorado past and present.

Website: www.montezumaorchard.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montezumaorchardrestoration/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montezumaorchardrestorationproject/

Other: https://fruitregistree.org

Image Credits
Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project