As I drive into the vineyard at dawn, I’m greeted by the crisp morning air and the delicious smell of concord grapes. The stacks and stacks of bins are patiently standing tall in anticipation of when they will be filled. This is it. It’s go time. This is the culmination of all our time and … Continued
September 2, 2006. My family of six arrived in the United States from Cambodia when I was eight years old. I was taking in the sights and sounds of Seattle, while my parents, Meng Seng Kouch and Chou Eam Chen, worried about what the future holds for our family. No one in our immediate family spoke … Continued
We at rooted are excited to launch a new feature we’re calling #ROOTCAM. After celebrating our second anniversary, we all agree that one of the most amazing parts of our job is the incredible people we get to meet all over the Yakima Valley and interact with every week. We decided we want more from … Continued
The name “starling” is disarmingly cute, and of course it’s fun to say aloud. Does the final syllable rhyme with ring, or do we drop the g and turn it into lean? Starling. Starlean. Starline. Starling(guh). I’m told it’s a matter of whether one favors a velar or alveolar nasal consonant. Okay, maybe I have … Continued
There’s a monster in my garden. I can see its arched back as it writhes through the foliage. A leviathan made of my own abandon. It’s a zucchini. A ridiculously massive zucchini. A zucchini plant is like a pesky teenager this time of year. They know when you’re not watching, and as soon as they’re … Continued
Once upon a time in the Wenas, a breeze blew through a hop field. The lingering smoke that had been hanging in the air for days was finally clearing, and the triple digit heat was noticeably down to normal summertime levels. It was good. A bus load of beer lovers was kicking up dust out … Continued
For 25 years I have had the good fortune of journeying “home” to be with family in upstate New York during the summer months. It is where I spent my childhood and young adult years. The slow pace of daily living on Lake George in the Adirondacks completes me. I crave it all winter … Continued
It is early on a clear morning, so the heat hasn’t taken hold yet. Kevin Bouchey and I exchange greetings just outside of Toppenish before I hop in his truck to head south. A few miles later, turning right on Schuster off Indian Church Road, we arrive. Although the morning is fresh for me, this … Continued
Eleven years ago this next week my husband, Tom Douglas, and I purchased 20 acres in Prosser with the notion of having a sunny second home to escape the sometimes (sometimes?) drizzly Seattle. Being closer to my family was an added attraction as my parents and only sister had relocated to Prosser a few years … Continued
Hope still lingers around Michael Bennett. Hope the dog, I mean. The last time rooted visited the local mushroom farmer, it was winter, and Michael and Hope welcomed us into their shop and the indoor growing chamber used to grow oyster mushrooms. We were amazed. Between the columns of pasteurized straw pinning out with Polar … Continued