In Central Washington, where Premium Harvest fruits are grown, the dry climate with hot sunny days and cool autumn nights are ideal for growing tree fruit crops. Such as apples, pears, sweet cherries and stone fruits (e.g., peach, nectarine, apricot, etc.).
APPLES
Washington leads the nation in apple production--and has since the1920s. Nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, at elevations of 500 to 3,000 feet above sea level, the Columbia Basin area was first settled by pioneers at the turn of the nineteenth century. By the mid-1820s, these early settlers discovered that the area's rich, lava-ash soil and plentiful sunshine created near-perfect conditions for growing apples. At the heart of Washington apple country is the Wenatchee Valley. Premium Fruit orchards embrace the region’s rushing rivers and nutrient-rich soils, producing crisp, delicious apples in every color and flavor.
AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND
Click on each apple to see descriptions.
PEARS
Moisture from meandering rivers and glacial snowmelt feeds the region’s nutrient-rich volcanic soil that creates the ideal environment for pear tree nourishment. With these idyllic growing conditions, it’s no wonder Pacific Northwest pear growers produce over 80 percent of the nation’s fresh pears.
The top pear varietals for WA state are green Anjou, Bartlett and Bosc. Production starts in August and ends in October. Pears are unique in that they don't ripen well on the trees. They are picked under ripe by hand to preserve the texture.
AVAILABLE AUGUST - MARCH
Click on each pear to see descriptions.
APRICOTS
The iconic taste of Summer. The apricots Premium Fruit grows are happy with the regions cold yet mild winters, tolerating temperatures as cold as −30 °C (−22 °F). Raw apricots are a moderate source of vitamin A and vitamin C (12% of the Daily Value each).
AVAILABLE JUNE - JULY
CHERRIES
The eastern slopes of the Cascades are also prime for cherries, where varieties are selected for growing in selected micro-climates at higher elevations to extend the growing season.
AVAILABLE MID-MAY & JULY
