Independent Pear Labels from Yakima

In 1805, men from the Lewis and Clark expedition were the first white men to view the Yakima Valley. Their descriptions of the wildlife and fertile soil attracted trappers and settlers, who came over the Cascade Mountains by wagon train. As more settlers came to the valley in the 1850s, disputes erupted between the settlers and Native tribes, leading to the Yakima Indian Wars of 1855. Yakima grew from 432 pioneers in 1870 to 15,000 by the turn of the century. As the area continued to grow, water and electricity became available, and railways supplied industry and agriculture.

Today, Yakima County in Central Washington is the state's leading agricultural county, "The Fruit Bowl of the Nation." A large and varied assortment of farms and orchards grow apples, cherries, pears, grapes and many other fruits plus a wide variety of vegetables, seeds, field crops and cereal grains making Yakima Valley one of the top agricultural producers in the nation.

Apples, pears and beer and wine?
One of the most fertile and productive growing areas in the world is the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Made up of the states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, the region has become the top producer of high quality hop varieties. The Yakima Valley is also rapidly becoming known for its ever-increasing number of wineries producing an incredible array of wines.

Washington Fruit & Produce
Independent Pears came from Washington Fruit & Produce Company, incorporated in 1916 to grow, pack and ship apples, pears and peaches from the Yakima Valley. In the 1950s they added cherries and in the 1970s they ceased growing peaches. Today Washington Fruit also grows wine grapes. In the 1940s they started selling for Underwood Fruit of Bingen, Washington. Underwood Fruit grows, packs and ships apples, pears and cherries.

Washington Fruit & Produce is still family-owned and operated.

Visit Oobydooby.com for Independent Apples, Independent Pears and Independent Fruit labels from Washington Fruit & Produce, Yakima, Washington.

Goleta Valley Channel Lemons Crate Label

Seagulls fly across an oval vignette of a coastline orchard, with a lighthouse and ship at sea, all set against a dark blue and black background on this colorful lemon crate label — Channel Santa Barbara County Lemons for Goleta Lemon Association of Goleta, California. Lithograph printed by Schmidt Litho Co., Los Angeles, circa 1930s. 12.5 x 8.75 inches.

According to the Goleta Chamber of Commerce article Lemons Are Goleta by Justin M. Ruhge, "Goleta gained nationwide fame and recognition through the production of lemons. Along with the walnut, this piece of fruit brought the Goleta rancher far-flung notoriety."

The climate and soil in Goleta were good for the production of lemons, which were not indigenous to the cattle ranching area. In 1874 Sherman P. Stow began the first commercial planting of lemons on 30 acres of ranch land. The lemons from this first orchard, which bore fruit until 1938, were processed and shipped under the Mission brand label.

Goleta's lemon business grew and prospered. Most growers marketed crops through the Johnston Fruit Company, founded in 1897, until 1935. At that time, the independent cooperative organization, Goleta Lemon Association, was formed and shipped lemons all over the world until 1976. The Santa Barbara Lemon Association operated until 1986 when the lemon packing business in the Goleta Valley ended.

Click here to see the Channel Lemon label at Oobydooby.com.

Click here to read the complete Lemons Are Goleta article.