Show delta county claims most do diversification av e asif in state delta county colorado of which delta is the scat seat ot of government advertises dittick as the most diversified versi fied county in the state this statement made in a chamber of commerce advertising brochure a few cw years ago is doubly true today since delta Is a jumping off point for the uranium rich uravan cravan plateau and mountain area up against grand mesa the worlds largest flat flatt t topped mountain the community an and the county are rich in agriculture particularly ticul arly fruit orchards over 3 5 million worth of apples peaches apricots pears and sweet and sour cherries were shipped from delta to world markets last year from laonia paonia onla to hotchkiss from cedaredge Ceda redge to orchard city thousands of head of sheep cattle and hogs bogs browse and grow fat on the lush grass that abounds la in the pastures of the county the head of cattle are valued at 24 million while head of beep sheep herded during summer la in tb the high coun country and penned in feed lots during winter are worth an estimated the sheep are an described as having gregarious tendencies den cies cles just ho how lush is the countes coun tys acres of irrigated fam farmland dand can be realized from the value placed on all farm arm product products sold or used a figure which ID in amounted to the mountains which lie within the boundaries of delta county pro vide more than just beautiful scenery for t the he tourist to gaze upon eight sawmills gaw mills near the community of delta depend on aearl bearly y 24 million board feet of timber resources in nearby areas including uncompahgre miguel north fork Sa pinero grand mesa telluride alpine ouray and ita most of the timber Is douglas fir and ponderosa pine with englemann spruce and alpine 4 fir ir making up the remainder de delta ta county supervisors are toying wi with th the idea of the establishment of a paper pulp mill in the area a project which Is termed feasible one of the largest industries which has sprung up in the immediate past Is the operation conducted by the holly houy sugar co which purchases and refines sugar beets in the county last season more than tons were purchased over the scales at an average price of 14 a too delta county however is not all work and no play on grand mesa more than icy mountain lakes provide trout for the ardent angler big game hunters may try la in season for deer elk and bear and for the wildfowl wildfowl lover duck geese and pheasant abound only the trapper is off limits here for although there are plenty of beaver they are protected by state game laws to the passing tourist delta county anty offers hundreds of lush shady spots in which to pile out of the car for a picnic in aspen gro grove v or pine on lill hillside ld and mountain tops from early spring until late fall but mr tourist had better not plan a trip across the county on foot since he will run into the black canon cut by hy the gunnison river which bisects delta county the gunnison Gunn lson flows through the canons I 1 granite walls 2800 feet below the surrounding mesas government roads are maintained in good condition for several miles along the river providing a scenic tourist route if youre tired of the present the dark past may attract attention traces of the 0 cical history of the county may be seen in dinosaur tracks some of them 42 inches in diameter which are impressed in the roof root of the states coal mine near Ceda cedaredge redge fcc the county is not without its lure for the future either in hotchkiss home of the delta county fair live many colorado residents who have found the small co community m on the banks of the nor north th fork a wonderful place to retire just to stay within the diversification definition hotchkiss Holch kiss is also the home of a cheese factory adding hem them all up uranium coal cheese cattle sheep fruit tourist attraction attractions the conclusion may way well be drawn that delta county is indeed the most diversified versi fied in colorado |