Fresh Picks opens in Moses Lake
Mark Roley carries sets up the new fruit stand Fresh Picks in the parking lot of Moses Lake Family Auto Wednesday.
MOSES LAKE - Flowers, fruit and produce are offered at Fresh Picks, a new outdoor stand at Moses Lake Family Auto Center's parking lot.
The business is found at 1571 Yonezawa Blvd, near the junction of state Route 17 and Interstate 90.
Fresh Picks opened Wednesday and is family-owned and operated by Rowley and Hawkins Fruit Farms.
The owners are brothers and wives Mark and Joann Roley, of Othello, Mike and Joyce Roley, of Basin City, and in-laws, Bart and Susan Hawkins, of Basin City.
You might recognize their names from the farmers' markets in Moses Lake, Pasco and Richland.
They grow their crops in Basin City and Othello for the markets and now for Fresh Picks.
The crops include fruits and vegetables, tart cherries, sweet cherries, peaches, pears, plums, nectarines, apples, apricots, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, boysenberries, grapes and asparagus.
Mark Roley explained Fresh Picks also retails annual plants, apple cider, jams, jellies, some dried fruits, fresh lettuce, spinach and rhubarb.
It shouldn't be too much longer until zucchini is ready and then peas. Strawberries should be available in a week.
They are reaching the end of their flower season.
"We have a very diverse farm," he said.
Mark Roley's wife, Joann, works at the stand and continues going to area farmers' markets to sell their items.
Their niece, Heidi Empey, of Basin City, works at Fresh Picks full time. When business gets busy, there are more nieces and nephews who can help in the summer.
"We wanted to stay in the Moses Lake area and balance in between local residents we have in the Moses Lake area and hopefully draw I-90 tourist traffic," Mark Roley said.
They needed a place to test out their business.
Moses Lake Family Auto was willing to lease a portion of their land to the family while providing power and water.
He said his family knows Moses Lake Family Auto because they are long-time customers from the farmers' market.
The first day of business went well, he said, with some customers placing large orders.
The family has farmed for five generations. Some members of their sixth generation are now working in the business.
This year, Mark Roley purchased a portion of the farm and bought out his parents, Norman and Judy Roley, now retiring in Cle Elum.
They moved to Washington from Utah in 1980 as more land was available for expansion and there's a slightly better growing season here, Mark Roley said.
"They liked the environment of the area with the irrigation projects developing more," he commented.
The family farmed in Utah for a total of 100 years.
Their ancestors spent three generations practicing agriculture in England until 1852.
For more information, visit www.tasteatreat.com or call 509-331-4844.