Washington state grows the most apples of all the states in the US.
Even when Bill and I visit our daughter in New Orleans, we see Washington apples in the grocery stores.
Why so many apples in Washington state?
Apples have been the reigning agricultural industry here in Washington for three reasons: soil, irrigation, and climate. First, apple trees prefer loamy soil, which we have thanks to the volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains. Then the Columbia, Okanogan, and Yakima rivers provide abundant water, with irrigation districts up and down the rivers to deliver the water in a controlled, timely manner. Finally, eastern Washington’s semi-arid desert climate provides the cold winters, hot summers, and crisp fall nights that apples love. This trifecta of ideal conditions minimizes pests and diseases that can make apple growing difficult in other regions of the US. As a result, sixty percent of the nation’s apples come from Washington. So if you’re going to grow apples, Washington state is the place to do it! If you’re going to buy apples, ours are the ones to buy. Our organic apples are Washington grown with rich virgin soil, our water from Lake Chelan is glacier fed, and our highland orchards provide a colder climate that Honeycrisp apples love.
