The Business of the Orchard
A Yakima Valley fruit grower shares his pragmatic, profit-driven approach to orchard management, from battling codling moths to the economics of the Ben Davis apple.
F. Walden writes on the challenges of root gall and the codling moth in the Yakima Valley. He details his new $300 gasoline-powered spraying outfit, which allows three men to do the work of nine, and discusses the financial reality of fruit farming. Walden defends his choice to grow the Ben Davis apple, noting that in 1901, it netted him $500 per acre, and argues that commission men often fail to understand the actual profitability of specific varieties for the grower. He also notes the arrival of local telephone service in the valley, which he expects will help growers coordinate carload shipments to save on freight costs.
“I raise apples for the money there is in it. That may look sordid but it is true.”
Walden’s focus on the 'sordid' reality of profit over prestige in agriculture mirrors the ongoing tension in Washington’s agricultural sector, where growers must balance market demands with the high costs of modern technology. His early adoption of telephone networks for logistics foreshadows the digital supply chain management that defines modern Pacific Northwest agribusiness.
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