Guest contributor Jessica Riel, back in the Valley after receiving her MBA in Seattle, shares with rooted some transitional spring photos from her family ranch in Harrah, WA.
Most Yakima Valley residents were enthusiastic about the sight of their lawns following winter’s significant snowfall. Mother Nature did not hold back, and the benefit is a plentiful water supply for our farmland this upcoming growing season. As spring works to take hold, this period of transition can be gloomy. Surrounding natural hillsides, orchards, vineyards and fields portray drab views of brown and gray. Sunny days with a clear, blue sky instill hope that soon things will change. The Valley is coming alive, as trees begin to blossom and roots peek out of the soil.
The following photo series was taken in Harrah, Washington at Double R Hop Ranches, where multiple generations of the Riel family have been producing several varieties of hops, apples and grapes since 1945. You will see that from afar, dull looking fields do have signs of vibrancy if you take a closer look. Are you longing for warmer weather and for greenery to appear? Grab a jacket and go for a walk somewhere in our Valley. You should be pleasantly surprised by what you discover!
Hop poles after a winter’s slumber are ready for trellis repair
A Willamette field, slow to start, is one of the first slated varieties for twining
Sunny, the Lab assessing the state of the Amarillo hop field
A second year Ekuanot hop field
Ekuanot hop shoots taking hold
Pink Lady apple trees
Old roots, new growth on a Pink Lady apple tree
Sunny in a Sorachi Ace field
Jessica Riel above the hops