Stories about young growers
Joe grew up on a family vineyard in Hood River and graduated with a horticulture degree specializing in viticulture from Oregon State University. He’s married to Krista and is the son of Robin and Rich Cushman.
family background/ Kristen earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Nazareth University then returned to the family farm and is now transitioning to full ownership of the business. She is the daughter of Alison and Tom DeMarree and has two sisters, Nicole and Trena.
Brothers Gerad and Corbin both graduated from Washington State University with degrees in agricultural food systems. Their parents are Diane and Greg Moser.
family background/ Sam is a sixth-generation farmer who is engaged to Lucia Ellis and is the son of Larry and Janice Lutz. Cassian is a first-generation farmer who is married to Emily Lutz and is the son of Jean-Guy Ferlatte and Bernadette Fernandes.
Ely is a fourth-generation farmer in the Champlain Valley and graduated from Cornell University with a degree in agribusiness. He is the son of Barbara and Craig Giroux and farms along with his four siblings.
https://youtu.be/9HgwwfER8ds family background/ India is pursuing a graduate degree in horticulture at Washington State University. India is the daughter of
Robert is a fourth-generation farmer who studied business and accounting at Central Washington University before returning to the family farm. He is the son of Kathy and Rick Pittman, and his grandfather was Harold Pittman.
Manuel grew up on a coffee farm and graduated with a degree from Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia. He’s the first in his family to grow tree fruit. He is now working for Joe Rasch Orchards, in Sparta, Michigan and is married to Katie (Rasch) Vargas and is the son of Ligia Marin and Gabriel Vargas.
Orlando is pursuing a graduate degree in horticulture at Washington State University. He is the son of Alison and Erik Howe; his biological mother is Maria Mendoza.
The brothers are third-generation farmers in the Annapolis Valley of Central Nova Scotia, Canada. They are the sons of Janette and Timothy Pearson and the grandsons of Janette’s father, Pieter van Oostrum.
