Down a narrow road shaded by rows of verdant, massive trees lies Reid’s Orchard, the only orchard within a two-hour radius.
Around the autumn-colored grounds, John, Billy, Kathy, Valerie, and Katie Reid – and plenty of hired help – pick and process fresh apples during the busiest season of the year. During the long growing season, they’ll sell peaches, blackberries, pears, cherries, and all types of vegetables.
The Reid family has owned the orchard for 140 years, making it one year older than the Kentucky Derby. They provide an array of fresh, locally grown produce that they sell on their land, and in local grocery stores around Owensboro.
Access to healthy, affordable, fresh food is a challenge in small towns and big cities alike, where residents may have to travel miles to get to the nearest grocery store or farm stand. Meanwhile convenience stores and fast-food restaurants seem to be around every corner. Medical experts cite lack of access to healthy food as one of the leading causes of diet-related health problems such as diabetes and obesity.
According to a report by the Trust for American’s Health, Kentucky is the sixth most obese state in the United States.
Owensboro is lucky to have great access to local, healthy food options, with no grocery store farther than a mile from any residential district, and a large presence of farmers markets across the city.
And of course, they have Reid’s, which has been leading the way, offering Kentucky fresh since the 19th Century.
