‘Fresh wholesome foods’: North Las Vegas celebrates valley’s first public orchard

Early settlers used to feast on vegetables, fruits and nuts grown at what is now Kiel Ranch Historic Park in the early 1900s.

The city of North Las Vegas took a significant step Wednesday morning to replicate history when officials marked the inauguration of a modern orchard and garden that will once again feed local residents.

“What better way can we meet the need of our people by reviving this orchard again so it can be a vital community resource for people to come and pick from the fruits and vegetables and also be taught how to grow them themselves,” said Eddie Rodriguez, North Las Vegas’ municipal forester.

It’s the first city-operated orchard in the valley. The grant-funded $150,000 project came together in under a year and was completed by parks and recreation staffers.

One of them was Carlos Ramirez, who takes care of the park and helped set up and plant the crops.

“It took a lot of work,” he said, describing it as a labor of love. He added that he likes it when people come to visit what he called “my park.”

“I like showing them around, especially this park,” he said.

The staffers planted three dozen trees that grow citrus, figs, almonds, apples and pistachios. Tall trees were strategically placed to offer shade, and staffers installed a custom irrigation system, said Rodriguez, adding that the site’s natural soil was supplemented to help the crops survive the desert’s harsh weather.

The 7-acre park and its natural spring was once part of a 240-acre homestead established by Conrad Kiel in the late 1800s. Prior to that, the property was farmed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries and Native Americans who settled there.

However, artifacts found on the land suggests that indigenous Paiutes used it “long before any settlers arrived,” the city noted.

The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The neighboring city of Las Vegas provided nine trees native to the region for the new orchard, according to North Las Vegas. “The tree palate was designed by four local arborists, ensuring that the orchard can thrive in the city’s desert climate.”

To honor Kiel Ranch, the city installed a pair of “authentic chuck wagons” and a split-rail fence.

The orchard is accessible though walking paths.

‘Honored for this day’

Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown appeared delighted as she pruned a sample of lettuce.

She said she walks the park and saw the orchard come together.

“We’re bringing fresh wholesome foods and vegetables in the community (which) they could come in and pick what they want,” Goynes-Brown said. “I’m so honored for this day.”

The city was still organizing programming around the garden, which also will include an educational component, said the former teacher, “to preserve the history of Kiel Ranch Park. You can’t just let that go.”

The city said the orchard will help address food insecurity and the area’s heat island effect.

“We want the citizens of our community to know that they are valued and they have worth,” Rodriguez said. “That is why we’re doing projects like this.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at [email protected].