So most everyone here knows I live in the Okanogan Valley, which is known for apple, cherry, and pear production. The market is in turmoil, trade wars and new varieties are driving down prices of older varieties and small orchards are choosing to get out of the business rather than go through the expense of trying to change over. The result is they are bulldozing down their orchards. Heavy equipment is brought in and the trees are yanked out of the ground and shoved into piles, to be set on fire once the weather changes. One orchard about a mile from me has tree piles taller than a house, and several of them. My neighbour across the road had his orchard done last spring, below are pictures of when it was done and what it looks like now. All that fine smoking wood will just go to waste.
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Not a stick burner bu'm still crying! -
Man, does bring a tear to my eye.Comment
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@ComfortablyNumb, I also cry with you. We have a second home in Hood River, and I drive by the pruning piles in the valley. Most of the larger cuts are spoken for by the wood fired pizza establishments (stop at Solstice Pizza near the Hood River Waterfront Park & try the 'Country Girl' Bing cherry and Mexican chorizo pizza there; the combo is a delicious celebration of flavors and cultures. Finish with a Cici gelato at the tiny stand next door.)
I know an orchardist who lets me pull from his burn pile. Dirty work, in 90F weather, yellow jacket nests, and sorting out the farm workers' debris (old cabinets, construction debris, etc.). However, I can fill my old Safari with forearm and larger sizes of cherry, apple, pear. It's also a great size for the KBQ. I would almost drive to the Okanagon for the opportunity to take some of those trees!Comment
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A travestyComment
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All of Johnny Appleseed’s work going up in smoke. I suspect he might think this trend is a sack of .......Comment
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Any idea what they are going to do with the land?Comment
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won't let you "glean" some?Comment
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That looks like work, that makes me cry
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I'm actually more concerned with the food production going to waste than the smoking wood. It is sad. But at least if they're using the land to feed cattle that should drop the price of briskets & steaks, right?.. so let's go with that if we have to
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Timcee No, the large growers, the biggest name in the valley is Gebbers, a name you may be familiar with as they also do beef. They have their own packing shed and a fleet of retired school busses to move their workers around their vast acreage of orchards.
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In the Hood River valley, and on the Washington side of the Columbia as well, orchards are being pulled out and replaced by vineyards. I guess it's all fruit. But, the vineyards won't produce the nice piles of wood for smoking or pizza ovens. However, I do love my wine.
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Screw the new. Anybody buy a tomato (blueberry, melon,.... ) at the store lately? Has no taste. But it doesn't get bruised during shipping!
Apples are another one. Prices are to high! Nobody buys them, they rot and get chucked.
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I feel for you. As recently as the mid '80s, around here was citrus groves as far as the eye could see. The citrus is basically all gone now having been replaced by concrete and plywood abominations.Comment
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I remember going up in the Orange Tower on vacation about 1983! -
mrteddyprincess - If you meant the citrus tower in Clermont, I grew up about 3 miles from it. -
That's it! The Florida Citrus Tower. Rode to the top and then drank free orange juice at the bottom. My aunt lived in Orlando and we visited frequently.
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Saw the piles (barely) in the original photo but wouldn't have guessed in a million years. Too bad. I do like some of the new apple varieties, but I am tired of fads. Nobody uses their own brains to decide what they like anymore, they just follow the herd.Comment
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