Focus Magazine

Great harvest of ripe red cherries on a tree branch. Selective f

Growers report good volumes despite chilly spring

It’s hard to say how 2022 will play out for Washington’s cherry growers. “It’s always a weather-vulnerable crop, and there...
Courtesy Washington State Potato Commission

‘Perfect growing season’ is on potato farmers’ wish lists

So many variables can send farmers’ careful preparations sideways. It’s been a common refrain this spring among leaders at many...
Courtesy Washington State Potato Commission

Pasco farmer says U.S. potato industry is focused on the future

By Jared Balcom Despite all the changes the nation has experienced over the two-plus years of this pandemic, the U.S....
Reagan Grabner raises potatoes for chips and french fries and for the fresh market at CSS Farms near Pasco. Grabner, who grew up on a wheat farm, said he chose potatoes because he liked the idea of growing a product “that was more than a commodity.” (Courtesy Pam Lewison)

Passion for spuds keeps grower in business

By Pam Lewison For some farmers, growing potatoes is about a passion for growing things and connecting with consumers. Reagan...
WA_apple_blossoms

Apple industry renews focus on domestic market

As summertime approaches, consumers begin to look to local markets for the parade of fresh fruits, and apple orchards buzz...
When the bines are stripped of the cones, the leaves come off as well. The hops and leaves are processed through a number of belts, where gravity separates them, ensuring bales are packed with hops.  (Courtesy Hop Growers of America)

Craft beer drives thirst for hops

By Mary Coffman More than 84.6 million pounds of hops were grown in Washington in 2021, a 14.1% increase over...
Automated farming irrigation system in sunset

Late winter bolstered water supplies, took some of the sting out of drought

Thanks to a very wet April, the Pacific Northwest has a lot of water. That’s potentially great news for water...
The window of a home under construction on Thebes Street in West Richland frames a view of Red Mountain. (Photo by Kristina Lord)

Market Overview: 2021: The year the Tri-Cities hit 300,000 – and its stride

History will remember the early 2020s for the devastating coronavirus pandemic, the shutdowns, the economic chaos. It would be easy...
Residential development south of Bob Olson Parkway in the Southridge area of Kennewick. (Photo by Scott Butner Photography)

Residential Growth: Tight home supply drives up prices

Homebuilders face familiar headwinds in 2021 – finding enough places to build new homes, hiring enough workers to build them...
Warehouse facility under construction near 2000 block of Robertson Drive, adjacent to American Rock Products, in Richland.  (Photo by Scott Butner Photography)

Commercial Real Estate: Private investment dominates commercial picture, for now

Private investors are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into Tri-City commercial construction in a shift from recent years, when...

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Partner Haiti’s 3rd Annual Fundraiser

September 29 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Music Bingo at MG Wine Bar

September 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Horn Rapids 2nd Annual Fall Craft Bazaar

September 30 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm