Specialty Crop

CWC in 2016 was awarded a grant from the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to restore and revitalize the historic orchard at Sinks Canyon Center Field Station (now the CWC Alpine Science Institute). Additional funds were provided by the Popo Agie Conservation District. Funds allowed for the planting of seedling apple, cherry, pear, and plum trees. Additionally, 20 3- to 4-year-old trees, some propagated from ~100-year-old trees from the historic orchard, were planted. There is interest from apple producers in the region to propagate their own trees from the orchard.

As of 2023, the project is now complete, and CWC faculty, staff, students, and others care for the orchard. Land within the orchard is also used for a farm plot for the CWC Wind River Farm Incubator (see listing below).