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SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2016 |
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5. Okanogan Highlands
Apples are still king in Washington. The majority
of apples in Washington are grown along rivers –
this can be done by terracing the ground that
slopes toward the stream. Water is needed for
irrigation, but the existence of micro-climates
around rivers and lakes probably more accurately
explains the locations of the best fruit-growing.
Micro-climates allow for the growing of peaches, pears, plums, apricots, etc. These
fruits are less tolerant to cold temperatures and benefit from the advantage of a micro-
climate (warmer temperatures in the winter and cooler temperatures in the summer).
Cattle are able to graze land that is too steep, or too rocky, to grow crops.
They can convert grass into high quality protein (meat) for human diets.
6. Columbia Basin
The Great Floods abrading the basalt plateaus gave us the
topography of the Columbia Basin region. Much of the
Central Columbia
Basin receives less
than 10 inches of
rainfall and it is
considered a desert.
Although sage and
rabbit brush are the
natural vegetation
in this low rainfall
area, this is actually
some of the most
productive land in
our nation. This is made possible by irrigation.
Irrigation allows for the production of hundreds
of crops in the Columbia Basin including
potatoes, alfalfa hay, sweet corn, concord grapes,
onions, cherries and mint.
7. Blue Mountain Region
Important crops in this region
include wheat and Walla Walla
sweet onions, which are a high
water content, low sulfur variety
that are harvested around the
fourth of July and are marketed
in the summer months. Asparagus
has been important to the region.
However, as a labor-intensive
crop, it has been affected by trade
preference agreements. In 1990,
Washington harvested 110 million
pounds of asparagus. Ten years later, in 2010, only 17 million pounds were harvested.
Washington asparagus acreage has declined from 16,000 acres in 2003 to only 4,700
acres in 2012. And of course, wine grapes flourish in this region. Lewiston/Clarkston is
the most inland seaport on the Snake River system.
1. Olympic Mountains
Washington is the only state in the “lower 48” with
a rainforest. The Olympic Peninsula receives more
than 180 inches of precipitation annually. This
region is heavily forested and is noted for its forest
products (referred to as Western Greens) like salal,
as well as mushrooms, conifer cones and boughs. Salal grows naturally in the forests
near Bremerton and is gathered and shipped (along with other Washington flowers) to
florists all around the country to use as a filler in flower arrangements.
2. Willapa Hills
Christmas trees, berries, and aquaculture can all be found in the
Willapa Region. Christmas trees grow quickly in this climate. Most
trees are planted and cared for in a plantation setting as opposed
to being harvested from the forest. Aquaculture is a tasty part of
Washington agriculture. Washington state raises several varieties of
shellfish in the tidal flats and waters of the protected bays and Puget
Sound (oysters, butter clams,
razor clams, geoducks,
and mussels). Washington
state is the largest producer
of hatchery-reared and farmed shellfish in the
U.S. Washington is one of five states in the nation
raising cranberries. Blueberries, cranberries, and
strawberries are fruits native to the US.
3. Puget Sound Lowlands
In spite of the pressure
of population and the
resulting development,
the Puget Sound
lowlands continue to
be an important part of
Washington agriculture, producing unique and useful products.
Here, there is a plain with very fertile soil that has been washed
from the surrounding mountains over eons. Because the Puget
Sound region is isolated from large commercial vegetable
production areas, seed crops can be raised with less concern about cross-pollination
and plant diseases. The Skagit Valley is noted for the tulips and daffodils grown there.
Attending the tulip festival in April is always a delight.
4. Cascade Mountains
The volcanoes of the Cascades have helped create the
fertile soil of our state with layers and layers of ash
deposits. Apples and other fruit are grown in the foothills
of the Cascades. The heavily forested mountains are a
source of timber. Cattle are produced throughout the state,
but the wide open areas on the east side of the state are
suited for larger operations. Timothy (a type of grass) hay
is grown around Ellensburg for export as well as local use.
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