Emily Dowdy: An Inspiration In The Field

Photo by Barton Glasser.

Emily Dowdy recently celebrated her 10th year at the Orchard Mesa Research Station where she has worked tirelessly to advance agricultural research in the Grand Valley. You can find her in the field daily where she manages all aspects of the 80-acre facility and implements research protocols in the orchards, vineyards and fields. As her colleagues say, “She does it all!”

Dowdy studied horticulture at Colorado State University, and when she interned at a small-scale, organic orchard and vineyard in Hotchkiss her senior year, she knew she wanted to build a sustainable career in the field. After graduating in 2009, she spent three years at Ela Family Farms and experienced the year-round rigors of working in a 100-acre commercial orchard.

As a first-generation agriculturist, purchasing her own land as a next step was daunting, to put it simply. When Dowdy came across the research associate position at Orchard Mesa Research Station, its mission to deliver research that is relevant to the challenges the Grand Valley agricultural community faces enticed her.

“Working at the research station has taught me that there are many options in farming other than owning my own operation or managing someone else’s land,” Dowdy explains. “I am especially proud that I can use my position to demonstrate to other beginning farmers that a career in agriculture can materialize in many ways.”

The Orchard Mesa Research Station is one of three stations that comprises the Western Colorado Research Center. It specializes in fruit trees, wine grapes and vegetables; the researchers conduct various studies, such as vegetable variety trials, peach bud cold hardiness, peach fruit quality and vineyard production under solar panels. The station in Fruita focuses its research on irrigation and water conservation, and the station in Hotchkiss focuses on organic horticulture.

“My day-to-day responsibilities vary depending on the season,” Dowdy says. “During the growing season, I spend a lot of time on ladders thinning fruit or on the tractors managing cover crops and controlling weeds and pests. Late summer and early fall are dedicated to harvest. The team is busy harvesting the fruit for data collection, and what food is not used for data is donated to local hunger relief programs throughout the state.”

Dowdy admits there are several barriers of entry when it comes to agriculture. She says the cost and availability of land are two factors that young, first-generation agriculturists face, in addition to general financial risk. Beginning farmers — especially women — can also feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the equipment.

“There are many strong women who have inspired me to be more confident in the field, and I strive to be a model for other young women,” she says. “Throughout my years as a research associate, I have had the ability to train and mentor young interns and students and provide them with an environment where they can learn how to be comfortable using heavy equipment.”

Originally published in the Summer 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.