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CapitalPress.com
Friday, April 9, 2021
Jones Farms: Celebrating 75 years of change
GRANGER, Wash. —
When you consider where
Jones Farms Inc. is today
compared to when the busi-
ness started 75 years ago, it’s
hard to overstate how much
things have changed.
Company president Den-
nis Jones’ grandparents began
farming alfalfa seed in Brown-
stown, Wash., in 1946 before
relocating a few years later to
the family’s current 320 acres
between Granger and Zillah,
Wash.
Jones’ father expanded into
sugar beets, potatoes and mint
a few years later, and he even-
tually started growing wheat,
sweet corn, watermelons, can-
taloupes and peppers.
But it wasn’t until the mid-
1950s that Jones Farms dis-
covered its fi rst major cash
crop: cherries.
“We have really evolved
over the years, and now we
grow more than 100 acres of
cherries,” said Jones, 72, who
owns the business with his
brother, Will. “We also have
100 acres of apples, but we
didn’t really get into those
until the ‘80s.”
Jones Farms sells 10 vari-
eties of cherries but limits its
apple crop to Honeycrisp and
club varieties such as Jazz and
Envy. The family also main-
tains 26 acres of peaches, apri-
cots and nectarines, 16 acres
of pears and smaller assort-
ments of peppers, tomatoes
and sweet corn.
Most of their apples and
cherries are sold to Allan
Brothers Inc. in nearby
Naches, while their peaches
and nectarines are distributed
direct-to-market and through
wholesalers.
“We sell the peaches and
nectarines at our fruit stand,
gotten to know them,” Jones
said. “They’re all family busi-
nesses just like us, and that
makes it fun.”
Treating his employees
like family is equally import-
ant to Jones. More than 20 of
his fi eld workers have been
with him for at least 20 years
— some for 30 — and he said
that investment in person-
nel has paid tremendous div-
idends, both for the laborers
and for the business.
To show its appreciation,
the family hosts an annual
fall festival at the Yakima Val-
ley farm. Originally called
the “Pig Barbecue” when it
started in the early 2000s,
the event — highlighted by a
carnitas (roasted pork) feast
— has grown to include
all-comers.
“It has become kind of a
neighborhood thing, where
we invite all of our custom-
ers and friends,” Jones said.
Dave Leder/For the Capital Press
Dennis Jones, right, and his brother, Will, own Jones
Farms Inc. in Central Washington. The farm is celebrat-
ing its 75th year.
and we also send them to
farmers markets and roadside
stands,” Jones said, noting that
everything but the peaches,
nectarines and vegetables is
certifi ed organic.
“We have customers from
Oregon, Idaho and Montana
who come here every week to
buy our fruit so they can sell it
to their customers back home.
We have gotten to know a lot
of families that way over the
years.”
While the number of
wholesalers has dwindled as
the older generation retires,
Jones Farms still works with
about 100 family-owned busi-
nesses around the Northwest.
“We talk to these folks
every week, so we have really
“We couldn’t have the party
last year due to COVID, but
before that, we hosted one for
18 or 19 years in a row.”
Jones said the past year
has presented some new chal-
lenges for the business, but
his long-term outlook remains
positive. Even though he
didn’t plant 75 acres of ground
last year, his direct-to-market
and fruit stand sales stayed
consistent.
In fact, cherry sales were
way up, while peach and nec-
tarine sales at the fruit stand
were “sensational,” due in
large part to the canning craze
brought on by the pandemic.
“I think a lot of people
were just searching for some-
thing to do last summer, and
they were really appreciative
that we stayed open,” Jones
said. “We don’t know what
to expect this year, but hope-
fully, people will keep coming
to visit us.”
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By DAVE LEDER
For the Capital Press
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