PALISADE, Colo. The summer solstice brought the longest day of the year to Colorado's Grand Valley, and for the farmers and visitors drawn to Palisade, every extra minute of sunlight was put to use.Mark and Carmen DeSimone made the most of it. Their road trip from California brought them to the top of the Colorado National Monument, taking in sweeping views of the valley and the roads that wind toward one of the state's most celebrated agricultural communities.Palisade is known for its peaches some say among the most famous in the world. Signs of the harvest are everywhere, and visitors travel from Nebraska, Arizona, and beyond to get them.Scott High is one of a handful of major growers in the area."We have about 32,000 peach trees on our property. We sell to Kroger and Whole Foods," High said. Watch Mike Castellucci's report in the player below: Palisade growers embrace summer as harvest season nearsBut High isn't putting all his fruit in one basket. He also grows grapes across 54 acres at Colterris Cliffside and Riverside Vineyards.It all started 27 years ago with a proposal. When High asked Teresa to marry him, he sweetened the deal with a promise a little 10-acre vineyard."We just had a dream," Theresa said."27 years have smoked by us," High said.Today, that dream has grown considerably."We have about 200 acres under Colterris and High Country Orchards," Theresa said.The name Colterris carries meaning rooted in the land itself."We abbreviated Colorado, and used the Latin word terrace which means from the land," High said.That connection to the land extends to how High approaches one of farming's most persistent challenges drought."When you ask me if I'm worried about the drought, ya I can worry all day, but then the life of a farmer is just to get along with the land, work with it. Work with whatever is given," Theresa said.On the longest day of the year, what was given was time. Workers were in the orchards since 6 a.m. Barrels of wine were being topped off. And as the sun set over the Colorado River, a season was just beginning one where the DeSimones, the Highs, and the valley itself could watch their dreams keep growing.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less