Sitting on the edge of our strawberry patch picking berries with my daughter, it dawned on me. Summer is near. Yes, we’ve had many hot days in the last few weeks that should have been the tip off, but in the business of late spring, that visceral sense of the changing season just hadn’t hit … Continued
On a hot stretch of road heading south, we found ourselves in a wide open patch of farmland where the Mabton-Emerald Valley-Sunnyside borders blur. As so often happens in life, we set out to find one thing, but found something else along the way. We have learned, at rooted, that this is often when the … Continued
At the Food Truck Rally last Saturday, I was standing in line at Hop Nation, waiting for a beer. It was a busy day—kegs were going up and down the basement ramp, people were chewing, quaffing and talking. The sun was shining, the food was hot, and the beer was cold. All in all, a good … Continued
With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, rooted hit the streets to explore and celebrate a Yakima Valley institution: The Taco Truck. In the last week, we visited nine trucks from Yakima to Toppenish. Some are truly mobile, and some are parked with deep roots. Either way, some of the best Mexican food to be … Continued
Slack-jawed. I’m sure that’s how I looked standing on the lawn at Dineen Vineyards on Sunday. I know this because my face and sentiment mirrored Shelley’s, and she was looking pretty slack-jawed herself. On the grass just below the tasting room and pizza oven area, we stood marveling at the view. It wasn’t just that … Continued
Driving north on Ashue Road in the Lower Valley, Aileen, Shelley and I are eager for the telltale signs of a field in harvest. While farmland everywhere is definitely showing the increased activity of spring, and for the most part crops are just beginning their grow for the year, there is one that is always … Continued
Look at the cherry blossoms! Their color and scent fall with them, Are gone forever, Yet mindless The spring comes again. ― Ikkyu 15th Century Japanese Zen Buddhist monk and poet There’s just something about the cherry blossom. Going beyond the simple expectation of the fruit to come, they are revered internationally as a … Continued
As March ends and April begins, spring is officially in full swing. Because the seasonal process of coming back to life is a visual one, rooted decided to plate up a feast of Yakima Valley images for this week. Enjoy a bakers dozen on us! Orchard on the ridge in the Lower Valley … Continued
Cheese can be simple or decadent. Even if, like me, you started with a Kraft American cheese slice on your Wonder Bread, anyone could appreciate an artisanal, handcrafted cheese. A turophile is someone who fancies cheese. I fancy cheese. It is a perfectly portable protein and the cornerstone of a great picnic. It’s the discovery … Continued
This time of year, you can smell the springtime in the air. It’s a familiar smell of light, warm dirt, and greening grass that acts as a herald to the new season of longer days and growth. With the soil thawed and workable, farms are beginning to come to for the year. Driving the roads … Continued