It's Apple Picking Time!

SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPOKANE REGION

It’s Apple Picking Time!

When my parents, younger sister, and I moved from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Spokane Valley in the summer of 1969, just before my senior year at West Valley High School, we thought we had won the jackpot! Not only were we anticipating milder winters compared to the Midwest, we thought we had found paradise!  We discovered GreenBluff!  

Living in the Midwest we were used to eating shipped-in fruit—mealy apples for one and limited types of fruit, it was amazing for us to just go up the road and pick our own fruit—apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, cherries!  The flavors were amazing, fresh, juicy!  What could be better!!  We were sure to get up to Green Bluff for all the fruit offerings so we could enjoy that wonderful fruit! 

Then life got busy with college, working part time and then a full-time job, and I no longer joined in with the picking, but I certainly enjoyed the eating!  For years my mom canned peaches, pears, cherries so we could have that fresh fruit taste all year long. 

I’m sure you all know about Green Bluff and have probably been up there to pick or purchase already picked fruits and vegetables.  Green Bluff Growers’ Association began in 1902.  I didn’t know that originally the Association was started to protect local strawberry growers from outside competition. 

Green Bluff growers produce all kinds of vegetables and fruits that you can either pick yourself or purchase already picked.  There are a number of annual events that the public can participate in—Cherry Pickers Trot, Apple Festival, Mother’s Day—Blooms on the Bluff, Holiday Memories, Peach Season, Strawberry Season.

When I retired July 2014, I was just in time for Peach Season in August.   I bought 25 pounds of peaches, enjoyed eating them and made several peach pies for the freezer.  That was the best!

I usually go to Green Bluff the first week of October to get a small selection of apples.  My husband doesn’t eat fruit, so I try not to buy too much!

Green Bluff is about 15 minutes north of Spokane in the foothills of Mt Spokane.  You can drive the two loops—East and West.  In Green Bluff, you can also find wine, meade wine, lavender, antiques, U-Cut Christmas Trees.  Each producer is individually owned and operated.

Source:  Green Bluff Grower’s Association