In the early 1990s when Chukar Cherries was a fledging enterprise on our family farm, I was looking for a skilled fruit illustrator to bring the various cherry varietals, apples, and berries to life.

Washington State's governor issued physical distancing and subsequent stay-at-home guidelines. Overnight, the Chukar Management Team had to reevaluate everything—current operations and payroll, There's no road map for this. It is simply people improvising with a common goal of safety, survival, community connection, teamwork.

In the decades we lived on our 8000-tree Washington cherry orchard, pollination was a worrying time. The temps had to be 65 degrees or above for the honeybees to leave the hive and pollinate the blossoms.

The Yakima Valley is magic at this time of the year. March nights are still cold, but warmer daytime temps hint of spring. Cherry and plum orchards are awakening.

Chukar would like to introduce you to Gary Ormiston of Ormiston Orchards. If there is one thing Chukar Cherries and Ormiston Orchards have in common it’s the love of Prosser, oh and cherries of course. Our founder, Pam, put roots down in Prosser in the eighties. Ormiston Orchards has deep roots in the Prosser area as well, generations deep...

Chukar would like to introduce you to Eric Monson of Monson Fruit Company. If you are in the fresh fruit business in the Pacific Northwest, Monson Fruit is likely a name you know. Eric Monson is at the forefront of the business and discusses how he, his father, and brothers started the company 3 decades ago...

Chukar Cherries honors founder, leader and mother Pam Montgomery.