Utah's Disappearing Farms

Utah’s Disappearing Farms

Utah’s farmers markets are booming, the local food movement is stronger than ever, and local farmers-market farmers are making record profits ― so why are we building over the top of the best remaining farmland in Utah?

Richard Markosian

June 23, 2021

Ogden's Farmers Market June 2021 — Ogden’s Farmers Market June 2021

The simple answer is that the land, in the eyes of our political leaders and developers, has far more economic value as homes and apartments than as farms. But if the community values farms so much, and if local food is such a priority for so many residents, why aren’t our political leaders doing anything to help preserve legacy farms?

In this episode of the Utah Stories Podcast, we speak to three farmers about what it’s like to farm in one of the fastest-growing areas in the entire country. Two are in Utah County and one is in Weber County. Two of the farmers we speak with are first-generation farmers. They are eager to work hard, they love what they do, but they can see that land prices and the availability of water will make their jobs increasingly more challenging.

We also speak with Clark Burgess, owner of Burgess Orchards. He is a fourth-generation farmer who has one of the most beautiful orchards in Utah. Burgess Orchards is the last orchard in Northern Utah County, located in the town of Alpine.

Burgess was a part-time farmer for the past thirty years. Two years ago he retired from his position at the Utah Department of Agriculture. Since then, his farmstand and business have been booming, but he has been unable to get the help he needs to make his farm viable as a part-time retirement project. Burgess has decided that he will very likely cash out.

The big question is, will large-scale farming remain viable in Utah? Or will all of Utah’s legacy farms be sold out to developers, encouraged by political leaders?

The latter will likely be the case if nothing changes, but Utah has always been a very farm-centric state. The values of the original Mormon Pioneers who settled along the Wasatch Front always placed local food and farming as a much higher priority than cash rewards or quick money.

A Call To Action To Help Preserve Utah’s Remaining Legacy Farms

Utah Stories has been covering farms and farming in Utah for 12 years. We believe it’s time we produce a longer documentary film about this issue so that more residents and political leaders can become aware of the issue. If things continue as they have been, there will simply be no more legacy farms along the Wasatch Front. Utah will become increasingly dependent on California and Mexico for large-scale production of fruits and vegetables.

We ask our readers to contact their local political leaders asking for their support of legacy farms. We would also encourage readers to subscribe to Utah Stories Magazine to help support our efforts to produce this much-needed film. Utah Stories is $2 per month for the print magazine, and it can be ordered by visiting UtahStories.com.

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Richard Markosian

I am a story teller and journalist. I have a passion for farmers, local craftspeople, and folks who aspire to create, build and grow their business in the local marketplace. Why local? By supporting locally-owned businesses we create more opportunity for entrepreneurs, and we claim our sovereignty to shape our communities how we want to see them. I aspire to build Utah Stories Magazine into a household Utah name, and assist Utah businesses and makers with marketing. On the journalism side of things my passion is investigative journalism that offers true insight into issues. I believe strongly in the forth estate: strong, meaningful, insightful journalism is essential to a free market Democracy.

Farms

Burgess Orchards: Preserving a Legacy of Farming

Tucked away in the quiet town of Alpine, Utah lies Burgess Orchards, a community heirloom that has provided peaches and apples since 1926.
Three years ago, Clark Burgess was getting ready to retire and the fate of his orchard hung in the balance as land values skyrocketed and tech moguls invaded the area. The opportunity to cash in on the land’s value was tempting, but the value of the Burgess Orchards legacy also hung in the balance.

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Independent News

“We’re Criminalizing Homelessness”: Utah’s Growing Crisis and the Need for Collaboration

In the heart of Salt Lake City, where the LDS Church sends aid to every corner of the globe, a growing humanitarian disaster is unfolding just blocks away.
Homeless encampments are dismantled, lives disrupted, and still, there’s no lasting solution in sight.
So why can’t Utah’s political leaders get it right?
Homeless advocate Robin Pendergrast pulls back the curtain on the state’s broken system, revealing why temporary fixes like pods and camps are dismantled, and how grassroots efforts are the only thing keeping hope alive.

“Instead of helping, we’re tearing down camps, bulldozing lives, and offering no place for these people to go,” Pendergrast says.
Read on to find out why Utah’s war on homelessness is making things worse, and what needs to happen next.

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Utah Stories

The Battle Over Books in Utah: A Clash for the Future of Freedom

“Books don’t turn kids gay, but banning them just might turn them into adults who can’t think for themselves.”

With those words, Rebekah Cummings cut straight to the heart of Utah’s most heated controversy. As school districts across the state debate which books belong in children’s hands, the battle lines are drawn between parents who demand control over their children’s reading material and educators who fear that censorship will smother intellectual freedom. But behind the arguments about explicit content, gender identity, and family values, a bigger question looms: What happens when a society starts erasing the stories it finds uncomfortable?

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Podcast

Left Behind in Utah’s ‘Golden Age’: The Fight for Affordable Housing and Freedom

“If you’re not making $150,000 a year, you’re not feeling this golden age. Most people are just trying to keep up.” While Utah’s leaders celebrate a booming economy, many residents are left struggling with rising housing costs and economic inequality. Discover the untold story of how Utah’s ‘golden age’ is leaving its middle class behind and the fight for affordable housing and true freedom. Read more about the growing movement challenging the status quo.

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