By Aaron SparksIn a tight agricultural labor market, many Washington state farmers and fruit growers struggle to find workers during harvest season. In Washington, of course, much of the discussion revolves around apples, the state’s top crop, which, at $2.4 billion, accounts for nearly 25 percent of the state’s agricultural...

$750,000 facility took two years to build, replaces smaller greenhouseA new $750,000 greenhouse to support the state’s tree fruit industry recently opened in Prosser.Construction of the greenhouse and installation of specialized equipment took more than two years to complete. Money to pay for the greenhouse came through assessments on nurseries...

Although the temperatures were edging into the high 80s by 9 a.m., Fields of Grace volunteers continued reaching high into the trees, picking handful after handful of crimson cherries.The group, which consisted of 15 or so, spend their springs and summers gleaning everything from fruit to spuds to donate to...

Having grown up and raised five children in the Tri-Cities, John and Cathy Franklin have enjoyed living in the midst of orchards, vineyards and farms. But when Cathy couldn’t find locally grown produce in the stores during summer months, she realized something needed to change.“It was frustrating to go to...

In arid Eastern Washington where most of the state’s wine grapes grow, efficient irrigation is the name of the game. Yet little research has been done to determine the best irrigation strategies for white wine grapes.Washington State University viticulturists Yun Zhang and Markus Keller are discovering promising ways to conserve...

Encounter the Andrewjeski family and their Percherons draft horses at a fair, parade or show and they’ll gladly answer your questions.But please, please don’t ask them the one they hear the most.“Does it hurt when they step on your foot?” Helenka Vanderbilt of Connell said.With an average weight of anywhere...