Where the Yakima River passes through the low hills that surround the city of Yakima, there is a discernible yawn in the ridgeline that locals refer to as “the gap.” Passing south through this opening, we suddenly find ourselves in the Lower Valley. If traveling on Highway 97, the first encountered stoplight brings us to an intersection with the long and lovely Lateral A Road.
Yes, ag abounds in just about every corner of the Yakima Valley, but Lateral A is like the shined up showroom floor sample of all things Valley. Just driving down the road, Mount Adams comfortably anchored on the western horizon, the fields of apples, peppers, watermelons, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes, corn, hops and more, flash one by one into the view of the car window. Several fruit stands pepper the roadway, beckoning drivers to pull over and take full advantage of such a tremendous real food opportunity.
Of course we stop. Today it is the beautiful Imperial’s Garden that seduces our senses. Fruit stand lovers and fresh food enthusiasts are left slack jawed by the Imperial’s experience. There’s just so much to choose from. About 5 years ago they moved down the road to this much larger, impressive spread, and supported by a 1,500 acre farm, it truly is a nursery for newborn victuals of all kinds. We spot head honcho Manuel Imperial at work and approach him for a short chat. With so much variety planted in his fields, he has been in harvest of one kind or another for months now and has the look of any farmer nearing the end of the growing season—exhausted in a pleased sort of way.
He mentions the long hours several times, and with that, how farming is not something that can be done if there’s no love for it, there is just too much involved. In addition to the sprawling roadside stand, Imperial’s is a supplier of produce far and wide in the U.S. and Canada. It brings a smile to my face to think of someone standing in the produce section of a Chicago grocery store with a Wapato red pepper in hand. Shelley and I feel grateful for all the hard work that has gone into this bounty, and marvel at how lucky we are that it’s grown and sold right here, a stone’s throw from our front doors. We buy several deep purple eggplants, the butternut squash, plump green beans, giant cucumbers, and bell peppers of all colors.
Before heading home, we pull off the main road to visit a field still being picked. Under the wide sky, beside the dusty back roads, the true nature of late harvest can be seen. Arriving at lunch hour, there is a tired worker sitting in his truck, putting his shoeless feet up through the window, getting some needed break-time rest. The plants, heavy with offspring, have the look of a woman in her forties about to give birth for the twelfth time—weary-lovely—fruit spilling this way and that, longing to be reaped. Standing in the middle of it all feels good and inspiring, like we are privy to a secret. It’s mature and prolific, dirty and fatigued, messy and beautiful.
Oh Lateral A, we thank you.
There’s NO place like home! Thank You for this truth!
Born (Prosser) and raised (Grandview) in the lower Yakima Valley.
My daily commute. Lucky me! Beautiful article.
Fabulous piece. I’d like to add other farmers/ranchers along our beloved Lateral A in the 60’s, yes before our time lol, there’s uncle Frank Arreola’s truck garden (the forerunner to Imperials); 3 Boys Produce–Arreola’s Uncle Julio, Uncle Danny, my Dad, Joaquin), then Uncle Julio’s forerunner to cousin Benedicto’s Farm today; 3 Boys; Arreola’s at Kiles Korner–Grandpa Ted Senior and uncle Ted Jr.. Forerunner to cousin Dagdagan’s…As you cross west Wapato you then have my friend, Lisa Matsumura and her Family farm, now cousins are there Imperial headquarters); uncle Ben Garcia farther down, Mr. Nishi family farm across from our former family home, and the Bucsit Farms and Gailan farms a bit further..so much history and love on that lovely stretch of road leading to Fort Simcoe…
Oh my Fe, you brought back to my mind names in knew as a girl. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
A relatively new visitor to what is the beautiful Lower valley, I have come to feel at home. As soon as I turn on to Lateral A, I feel like it is welcoming me back to where my roots are. I look forward to the day I call it home, but for now my visits will get me by. I love this area and all it has to offer!
There’s no place like home! After almost 30 years of living in the hustle bustle of Seattle… my heart yearns for the simpler uncomplicated life of my youth in the Yakima Valley.
Having grown up on the Family hop ranch on Fort Road and S Harrah Rd…Lateral A was a daily part of life while attending Parochial School in Yakima…so many incredible memories…who remembers Pete Hoyt’s groc store on Lat A and Fort Road?…and we all caught our 1st fish at Charlie’s Pond…great times…wouldn’t trade that childhood for anything….(I almost cry when I go by the old house/hop picking operation)
There really is no place like home. So many wonderful memories of family and life on the Fort Road!
Lived off off this road on Progressive during high school and after i got married. Could pretty much drive it with my eyes closed. Have since moved to the Yakima area but the lower valley was my home for a very long time. I love the feeling of driving down this country road and all it’s beauty and the farms and fields with fruits and veggies!! there’s no place like home.
What a beautiful piece! Thank you for sharing with the world one of the reasons we love living in this valley! It reminds us every season at one time or another ” our childhood”. The different scents that fill the air, like mint harvest ! Luv it! Could not find ourselves living anywhere else!
My husband and I recently visited Lateral A for the first time, hosted by the gracious Imperial family. Our hearts are yearning for the next visit! And what fun it is to see produce from Wapato, and particularly Imperial’s Garden, at our local grocery stores at home in Oregon!
Thank you for taking the time to reflect and post on our website! Love that Lateral A!
Lateral A leaves a long loved traveled road and all it offers….as said, beautiful Mt Adams to the west , so many different farmlands that grace that road, even miles south of Fort Rd. Oh Yes, Pete Hoyt’s market was the best….nice family operated market where we all knew one another.My Folks did lots of shopping there. We farmed some years on LaRue Rd about a block west of Lateral A. Lots of memories do grace that part of the country, from childhood to ” olderhood. ” It’s always been a comfort drive to go down that Trek.
Ellie Clark
The young folks of today will never know just how wonderful it was growing up in the lower Yakima Valley especially the Granger / Sunnyside area, during the 1950s and early 1960s. OHHH!! Life was so much simpler then. As a kid getting up in the mornings during the spring and early summer smelling the new mowed alfalfa and at night with the bedroom window open all our senses were alive with living working hard and love our freedom the experience of them times will be forever be in my heart and embedded in my memory. From spring time through to winter and beyond it was simply a glorious time to be alive. When a man could work without hassle. The Yakima Valley today is nothing nor will it ever be again like it was in 50s and early 60s.