The Pioneers of Whidbey Island Orchards
A look at the early fruit industry in Island County and the lessons learned by the region's first orchardists.
A. J. M. Hosom, of Coupeville, Island County, provides interesting notes regarding his district. C. T. Terry, who has a large bearing orchard, is operating an evaporator capable of handling 15 tons of green fruit per day. A number of commercial orchards are being developed, including A. H. Kellogg’s 40-acre cherry and pear orchard at Smith's Prairie. S. E. Hancock manages 1,600 six-year-old bearing prune trees, while F. R. Morgan is planting 40 acres of apples and cherries. Mr. Hosom notes that the Baldwin apple has proven the most profitable variety for Western Washington. The first apple orchard on the Sound was planted in 1852 on Whidbey Island by the Crocketts, who brought grafts from the Lewelling nursery in Oregon. Walter Crockett, who now manages the old farm, warns that many fruit varieties show promise when young but prove disappointing once fully developed, advising growers not to plant heavily of varieties that have not been thoroughly tested.
“I can't is a fool, but I'll try is a scholar.”
The agricultural legacy of Whidbey Island remains a cornerstone of the region's identity. While the specific varieties like the Baldwin have shifted in commercial popularity, the tension between experimental planting and proven market success continues to define Washington's multi-billion dollar fruit industry.
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