How to Help Family's Efforts to Save Dixon's Apple Orchard From Fire and Flood Impacts

Who hasn't enjoyed the magnificent fruit provided each year -- if all goes well -- by Dixon's apple orchard near Cochiti lake? We each have our favorites among the Champagne, Sparkling Burgundy, Red Rome or Red Delicious apples. The Champaign and Burgundy varieties, in particular, are precious -- having been developed over decades by the family-run operation and embued with unique qualities produced by the special soil, climate and location of the orchard. Even more distinctive and admirable has been the family's devotion to the orchard, and to making a visit to the orchard into a warm and wonderful experience, no matter what your age or circumstances.

Now all that is in danger of extinction.

As many of you know, Dixon's orchard came close to being wiped out entirely by one of the voracious arms of the massive Las Conchas fire, which is still burning virulently farther north in New Mexico. Luckily, "only" about 300 trees -- or about 10% of the orchard -- failed to survive the fire. That's bad enough, but Becky Mullane, Fred Dixon's daughter, and her husband Jim and their kids lost their residence at the orchard as well as a few other structures to the fire.

Even worse is what may happen in the aftermath of the flames, when our monsoon kicks in any day now and the burnt hills and canyon walls that surround the orchard can no longer hold the cascading water that pours down. The orchard is now in serious danger of complete destruction via flooding and serious erosion. We can't let that happen.

Friends of Dixon's t-shirt

Red Tape
Shockingly, the Mullanes have keep running into issues with the state Risk Management Division declining to allow them to begin promptly on work to relieve the effects of the coming storms. Since the land is claimed by the express, the Mullanes must keep the requests of Risk Management and other state offices by they way they handle certain parts of the crisis. Right now Risk Management is stating the Mullanes won't have the capacity to begin on reseeding, clearing of the brook bed or adjustment of the slope until Friday, and that may be past the point of no return. As the Santa Fe New Mexican reports:

The apple trees that survived the Las Conchas Fire sit on a surge plain specifically underneath six miles of gulch and 20,000 sections of land loaded with fiery debris and residue — all prepared to be flushed toward the plantation and Cochiti Lake with the mid year storms. This watershed supplies Cochiti Pueblo, Cochiti Lake and a lot of the water supply for the Rio Grande Valley.

NM Land Commissioner Ray Powell is one of the administration authorities who's endeavoring to accelerate the procedure of aversion and moderation:

State Land Commissioner Ray Powell has been working with authorities from Cochiti Pueblo, the National Resource Conservation Service, the Bureau of Land Management, UNM and different offices to convey help to Dixon's Apple Orchard.

"There is a tremendous measure of ability and a will to accomplish something," Powell stated, "yet everything rotates around getting the assets to apply it to the land and getting those assets rapidly."

How Might We Help?

Dana Rickard, a family companion of the Mullanes and supervisor of their advancements and weddings, is as of now building up an open gift subsidize. The best help the overall population can offer Dixon's Apple Orchard at the present time, as indicated by Rickard, is to give $50 for a T-shirt friendsofdixons.com. 

Ray Powell encourages individuals to call neighborhood administrators and individuals from the congressional appointment to push for more quick supports to secure the plantation and the watershed just past it.

The family and supporters are also planning for a benefit fundraiser to be held on August 27th. To help with contributions, time, silent auction high ticket items or raffle items for the Mullane family benefit please contact Kim Duran @ kim2955@aol.com.

You can stay current with the happenings at the orchard at the familly's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dixons.apples. 

Let's all pitch in and put maximum pressure on government officials to help save this New Mexico treasure!