Growing premium fresh sweet cherries since 1923
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The
Olmstead Family began farming four generations ago in the fertile Yakima Valley
of Washington State. Fred and Alpha Olmstead moved to Grandview, Washington in
1918 and bought a cherry orchard and home north of town. One of
their three sons, Donald, was just a year old. In March 1923, five
year-old Betty Soot and her family settled into a family farmhouse on 16 acres
of grapes and cherries just south of Grandview.
After spending their school years together, Donald
Olmstead and Betty Soot married in 1938 and
eventually settled on Betty's family farm, paving the way for the Olmstead
Orchards of today. Many trees and vineyards have come and gone since then,
but family has remained strong. Both Peter and Don Jr. joined their
parents on the farm after college, leaving behind careers as a pilot and a landscape
architect. Don Jr., his wife Barbara, and their young daughter moved
into the family farm house in 1971, and son Donnie III was born in 1974.
Upon Peter's return in 1975, father and sons were together again as Olmstead
Orchards. Don Sr. retired in 1980, but only on paper! Today at 92
years old, he continues to regularly visit the orchards and check in on
harvest. He and Betty live just over a mile away in their home with their
horses and dogs.
In 1990, Don Jr. and Peter split up the acreage.
Don Jr. and his wife Barbara assumed Olmstead Orchards, which included 85 acres.
After finishing college, their son Don III (Donnie) also returned to farm with the
family in 1998. Donnie has now begun farming his own acreage, but he and
Don Jr still collaborate daily striving to produce the finest sweet cherries in
the world. Today, Don Jr and his few employes spend countless hours cultivating and nurturing over 100 acres of
fruit. Cherries are the main crop with approximately 35 acres of Bings and
65 acres of Rainiers. The administration, bookkeeping, and much more are
handled by Barbara. Don and Barbara's daughter Carrie returned to
help with the family business in 2003. Carrie built the Website and helps
with sales, marketing, and harvest. Olmstead Orchards is truly a family business
that takes pride in what they do!
© 2003-2010 Olmstead Orchards, Inc. 360 Frazer Road Grandview, Washington 98930
Last updated Saturday June 04, 2011 Website problems: webmaster@olmsteadorchards.com
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