The Yakima Valley grows the largest variety of fresh produce in the Pacific Northwest. Home to over 40 commercial crops and hundreds of varieties, this amazing selection of fresh produce is grown in a desert climate that receives only 8 to 9 inches of precipitation and 300 glorious days of sunshine each year. Since so little rain falls here, the Yakima Valley’s abundant agriculture depends on the snowpack in the nearby Cascade Mountains.
With more than forty commercial crops grown here, the Yakima Valley has the largest variety of fresh grown produce in the Pacific Northwest.
Each year, local farmers watch and anticipate the amount of water available for their crops from the winter snowfall. The runoff water is saved in reservoirs, and directed down the Yakima River Canyon and Tieton River to a system of canals during the summer and harvest months. The canals have served farmers in the valley since 1938, bringing the a consistent supply of water to all the orchards, vineyards and hop fields.
THE YAKIMA VALLEY GROWS…
- 70% of the nation’s apples
- 42 % of the nation’s pears
- 38% of the nation’s concord grapes
- 75% of the nation’s hops (20 % of the world’s supply of hops)
- 50% of Washington State’s mint and spearmint
- 50% of Washington State’s wine grapes.
All of these huge crops have led to a huge increase in related businesses. The growth of vineyards and abundance of available wine grapes have brought over 120 winery tasting rooms with numerous varietals to taste. Thanks to the astounding amount of hops in the valley, new breweries keep popping up. And nearly every restaurant in the valley uses locally grown fruit and produce in their menus.
Yakima Valley’s irrigated, volcanic soil produces both scenic beauty and bountiful crops.
The Yakima Valley is your source for farm fresh fruit and produce, whether you’re attending one of the many harvest celebrations and farm festivals, or spending the day on one of our U-pick farms hand-selecting your own produce. Visit our Farm Fresh website for events, produce maps and a list of all the fresh produce and when it’s available. Come to the Yakima Valley and taste what we grow!
Categorized in: Farm Fresh Fun
