Fresh Peach Salsa

Have some peaches that you need to use up before they go bad?  Most people think of peaches in sweet foods, like crepes, cobblers, pies, etc.  But they also go great with dinner entrees. Here is a fun fresh peach salsa recipe to try.  I really enjoyed it on pork chops (rubbed in chili powder), with rice (mix in black beans, cilantro and lime juice) on the side.  It is also great on fish, with chips, or with lots of other things!  We had most of these ingredients from our garden already, so it was easy.

2 cups peeled and chopped fresh peaches
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño (seed them first)
1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

You can add a minced clove of garlic if you like, but I prefer it without.

Enjoy!

Lights! Camera! Action!

Have you ever wondered how cherries get from the trees into those amazing cherry pies?  Well, maybe you  haven't sat and wondered about it, but you might be interested to see it. Thanks to Scott Bartholomew (married to a Hawkins--keeping it in the family), we have a video so that you can see how it all works.  Here is an overview of the harvest process from start to finish.  Look for anyone that you might know that was working on the farm!  It also includes some interesting facts about how many cherries went through the cannery this year, and what is produced with the cherries from the Rowley & Hawkins farm.  One interesting side note is that the family is responsible for building this whole process from the ground up! (We are working on getting in uploaded in higher resolution).

Just For Fun

Have a Happy Day!

Shake it up

We thought you might like a look at our heavy machinery. For the cherry harvest we use machines called shakers and receivers. They make the process much more efficient. The shakers are driven mostly by family, who have to learn to drive these large machines and line them up next to the tree, grab it, and shake it until the cherries fall off (when they are ripe).  Someone else drives a bin along the other side to catch the fruit, which is then taken in by our many tractor drivers to the cannery to be removed of their stems, pits, and defects before they are packaged.  Here are some pictures of the shaking process. A video of the cannery will be up in the near future.  We have run into some glitches this year, but have been able to figure them out as they come. I'm pretty sure there is at least one unexpected problem every year, so let's just say we have to be flexible.

The shaker and receiver funnel the cherries down to a conveyer belt.

The belt brings the cherries up and to the actual bin.

There is a blower on the converyer belt to get rid of leaves and
 junk before they go into the bins.  It can get a little messy....

We run all day and night during harvest, so many of our workers come for a night shift.  It might mess up the sleeping schedule a bit, but it is a lot more cool out there while working!  Look below for pictures of any of your family or friends working in the fields.  Don't judge the look, they have all been workin' hard outside.  Maybe not their most glamorous moments, but still lookin' good.

Being crippled doesn't stop him from ordering people around at the cannery ;)

Slight mishap with a crazy driver pulling in front of a tractor.
Definitely reminded everyone that you have to stay alert
on the job! Everyone is OK.

Drum-line

All of the cousins are here for the cherry harvest!  Everything started running last Monday with the family, to get all of the machines running and the kinks worked out.  But don't be fooled when we say "just family." That can mean up to about 40 people!  They started with the drum-line (No, not the instruments).  Large metal drums are filled with cherries to be shipped out.  Our drums go to a company that turns them into flakes, and then sells our cherries to other companies who use them for products that you see in stores, like drinks, pastries, etc. I know what you're thinking, but yes, they do use real cherry flakes.  That's why they taste so good ;) So go ahead and buy those cherry products wherever you see them, and you could indirectly be supporting us!
They also fired up the pitters to start producing our famous tart cherries.  The cannery started full force last Thursday, so we are now in the middle of harvest. Come by the farm to get an order of cherries right off the line!

Getting Started!

A look at the farm, located in Basin City, WA

We are starting a blog!  The Rowley and Hawkins families are excited to offer some new features this year to our websites and sales--this blog being one of them.  We plan to keep you updated on some of our newer options, fun tips and recipes, and the latest pictures about the happenings on the farm! You will get an "inside look" (hopefully not too much) on how the farm and our families work.

This year we have found ways to expand and make it easier for you to get the produce you want!  One of our latest additions is the new Fresh Picks store that is located in Moses Lake. We are also offering our Box-a-Week Program.  This is an idea that has been spreading like wildfire in other states because it is so convenient and cost effective.  Check out the website for details!  

Right now, as you might have noticed on our calendar link, we have peaches, asparagus, and potatoes that are fresh, and in season.  Though we have different kinds of produce available all year, our biggest crop is definitely cherries.  We are now gung-ho into our preparations for the big harvest (late July), as you can see in some of our pictures below.  There are cousins coming from all over to help during the harvest, making it a family affair, as always.   

Getting the cannery all working and clean

washing out bins

We had some painting mishaps and it somehow
 ended up in our hair.   People told us we looked like
apes as we got it out.  I'm not sure how to take that...But at least the equipment and paint are looking nice.