Some Colorado lore that regularly gets repeated is that vultures helped early settlers in Western Colorado locate fertile valleys for growing fruit trees after the Utes were forced out. The theory is that circling vultures, known for their keen sense of smell, smelled the scent of fermenting wild fruit, signaling fertile soil and fruit trees in the area. The Utes were the first to grow peaches in Colorado. Spanish missionaries introduced peaches in the 1600s, By the early 1800s, the Utes were cultivating peaches along the Colorado and Gunnison rivers.
Growing Home - Vultures and Peaches
