"That was the buzzword at the Governor's convention on tourism," says Leif Johnson, executive director of the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. "It gives people something more than just going to the wineries and going to the fruit stands, it opens up an entire new dimension."

Although going to the wineries and orchards is the beginning, those who go on an agri-tour might find themselves riding in a horse-drawn carriage, picking peaches, learning about grape fermentation or tasting grape varieties.

"The town really prides itself on its agriculture," says Rob Bleiberg with Mesa Land Trust. "Vineyards and orchards make Palisade what it is."

Mesa Land Trust was formed in 1980 by a group of Palisade farmers who were determined to preserve the unique agricultural land in Mesa County. One of the goals of the trust is to work with growers and producers to ensure that there is a large enough mass of land permanently conserved to preserve the industry for generations to come.

"In east valley, there is a unique micro-climate that can?t be found anywhere else in the Rocky Mountain west," says Bleiberg, "it helps define the community and gives it a unique flavor."

Unique flavor could be the buzzwords in Palisade, and the town has officially adopted a new tag line, "Life tastes good here," to help promote the concept. They've also established boundaries for growth that protect the most productive croplands and encourage infill development in areas where there is already existing infrastructure. "We're not going to cross the river to the east or the south," says Tim Sarmo, the manager of the town. "Palisade will be moving west, but only to the buffer zone."

The town is also moving to create a village atmosphere that encourages pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Construction of a new town plaza near the grocery store downtown that will create a natural gathering spot downtown could begin after Winefest in the fall. The town has also recently acquired the old Palisade High School, and is evaluating how to best preserve the historic integrity of the building while modifying it to house a community center, town administrative offices and the police office.

"I am really looking forward to the town plaza project," says Marla Wood, the director of the Blue Pig Gallery, "that will be a beautiful improvement." The Blue Pig features the art from many local artists and recently celebrated its first anniversary.

"I love doing business in Palisade, I love being able to live and work here," says Wood. "The energy is here, it's just a matter of making sure that the right people do the right business."

Richard and Jean Talley felt like it was the right time to build a new hotel in Palisade that showcases the area's unique attractions. Wine Country Inn, an 80-room hotel that aims to give its guests a relaxing, vineyard experience, will be opening August 1, in time for both the Palisade Peach Festival and the Colorado Mountain Winefest.

"Our key is going to be customer service," promises Jean Talley. "The guest experience is the most important thing we're doing."

The hotel will also have meeting rooms to accommodate up to 200 people in an auditorium setting, 100 people for dinners and receptions and smaller rooms to handle smaller crowds. During the warm months when the outdoor pavilion can be utilized, the hotel will be able to handle weddings with 150 to 200 guests. Large winter weddings may take more creativity, but the hotel will easily handle a wedding of 100 people in the middle of winter.

Although there are two newer subdivisions west of town in different stages of completion, neither one is a large subdivision with hundreds of homes. Palisade Vineyards will have 19 homes when it is built out, and Wine Valley Estates will have 30 homes upon completion. When shopping for real estate in Palisade or East Orchard Mesa, buyers may have to look and wait for the right property to come on the market, particularly if they're looking for acreage.

"It's very rare to find anything under $300,000, and when you do, it's gone overnight," says Tammy Craig with Fruit and Wine Realty. According to Craig, there are two types of people who buy land in East Orchard Mesa, those who want to farm and those who love the farming ambience, but don't want to get up at 2 a.m. to run the wind machines. The second type looks for a grower who wants to lease their land.

"It's not hard to find a local grower to help them out," says Craig. "You're not going to make a ton of money, but you can keep the feel and keep it maintained."

Living in Palisade isn?t always easy; there's no Taco Bell when you want to feed the craving at midnight, and it's a long drive to Wal-Mart. On the other hand, that could be why residents love it.