Industry

Javi’s ��i��en and ��u��os

Grandview - This Grandview eatery is located at 110 West Wine Country Road and can be reached at (509) 203-6052. They serve tasty spicy chicken, asado, and fish - not to mention perfectly cooked churros. Javi’s has a fivestar rating from Facebook and a four-star rating from Google.

Here is what their customers are saying, “I came out here on a business trip. I was very pleasantly surprised to find this place. I’m from LA and I know good Mexican food. This place’s food is great!!! The two ladies that work there are fast and are friendly. I stayed there for three days, and two out of those three days I went back. I will go again when I return in December. I wish I would have taken more pictures. Well this place did not disappoint!”

Another customer stated, “Javi definitely knows how to make some tasty food! We had some asada fries, these things were freaking loaded with cheese, meat, and guacamole! No skimping on flavor or portions. The atmosphere

Seems Like Home

Prosser - Becky’s is described as a home away from home. It has good company, good food, great coffee and feels like home.

Do you want some of your mom’s best biscuits and gravy? This is the place. Don’t take it from us, go down and see for yourself.

Here is what other people are saying about Becky’s Coffee Corner; “Well what can I say; if you want a place where you can sit and have coffee with friends this is the place. If you want to sit have coffee and meet new friends, this is the place. If you want a second family this is the place.”

“Prosser is a place where business owners generally care about you and Becky’s is the perfect example of that,” said another delighted customer “Best chocolate iced Mocha ever! Thanks Becky!” commented another pleased patron.

“What a great place to stop for a delicious drink made just the way you like it! Also loved the welcoming atmosphere and friendly conversation. I definitely recommend,” stressed another customer.

Becky and her crew are what

Prosser is all about. Everyone is family. They make great coffee and yummy food and make it special every day.

F��d Tru��s Findin�� their Wa�� into the Va��e��

Grandview - Have you ever seen The Great Food Truck Race?

This reality cooking competition on Food Network first aired August 15th, 2010. Its 15th season, which aired June of 2022, the show has increased the creativity and popularity of food trucks.

Food Trucks are not a new phenomenon. In fact, the very first food trucks go back to the chuck wagon. Invented by Charles Goodnight for use on the initial cattle drives out of Texas. Chuck wagon cooks could feed a whole trail crew.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile made its first appearance in 1936.

The Wienermobile toured the United States selling hot dogs - stopping at schools, orphanages, parades, and hospitals.

By the 1950’s, Ice Cream Vans began touring neighborhoods. Their jingles pulling children from their homes rushing to the neighborhood streets to meet the Ice Cream Truck.

For many in the Yakima Valley, the Food Truck is most known as a “Taco Truck”. Nationally the first Taco Truck made its appearance in 1974 when Raul Martinez converted an old Ice Cream Truck into a Taco Truck and parked it outside of an East Los Angeles bar.

However, in 2008 the modern Food Truck revolution began. The recession of the 2000’s created a need for solutions in the food industry.

Chefs from top restaurants were being laid off and few restaurants were hiring. Food Trucks became the obvious solution. The trucks were cheap to buy, easy to run, and restaurant chefs could easily adapt his/her skills within a truck. It was at this time Food Trucks started serving gourmet foods. Social media was exploding which allowed Food Trucks to build a “buzz” and share their location with customers.

The industry is expected to keep growing. As of 2021, research firm IBISWorld estimated there are more than 24,000 food trucks in the U.S. doing $1 billion worth of business annually. The U.S. Food Truck services market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 6.4% from 2022 to 2030 to reach $2.04 billion by 2030. The shift is with consumer preference, especially with millennial and Gen Z groups, towards gourmet foods is propelling the demand for these services.

What about locally? Have Food Trucks made their way to the lower Yakima Valley? To Grandview?

They have come and more are coming! Taco Trucks are still the most popular food truck in our area.

Tacos El Tapatio #6 is a Grandview favorite. With just a few flavors of meats; adovada, asada, lengua, and chicken you can customize your meal opting for taco, quesadilla, or a torta. All of which can be topped with a signature salsa that will not disappoint. Judging by the busy crowds throughout the week, it is clear Tacos El Tapatio #6 has become a standing favorite along Wine Country Road.

Ice Cream Trucks seem to be our other staple, with four to five seen

around town regularly. The trucks go where the people are. Daily you can see several ice cream trucks lined up outside Grandview Middle School (GMS), smart business with the heavy foot traffic. Pablo Romero operates two Ice Cream Trucks and began 10 years ago. It’s more than just ice cream, the flavors have evolved to meet the needs of the kids these days. Hot chips with nacho cheese is a popular choice. Another favorite is fruit cups drizzled with chamoy, a sauce made of sweet dried apricots, spicy chile de arbol, salty Tajin seasoning, and sour hibiscus flowers. “I get the most business when I park at sporting events, especially soccer,” said Romero as he dished out orders at GMS.

23rd, 2023 he unveiled his new trailer at Grandview Muffler (formerly Phillips Specialty Shop) at 710 E. Wine Country Road, where his father had a long-standing business.

Prosser - When you think of Brewminatti’s in Prosser you think of three things; food, coffee, and concerts. The menu is complete with breakfast, lunch, drinks, and adult beverages. Then, if that isn’t enough there is music.

Music that features, rock, folk and Americana appealing to all ages. The seating is first-come-firstserved at tables and chairs and yes there is a limited menu for those who like their music with a snack!

For that total listening experience. Some of the upcoming music events include: April 1st - We’re Not Lost; April 14th - Ben Rice Band; April 22nd - Casey Neil & Jenny Conlee; and April 27th - Luke Bulla, to name a few. Their website lists more acts in the upcoming months. This is a truly wonderful listening experience.

Although Grandview may not have a steady influx of gourmet food trucks quite yet, the community is starting to see more “pop-up trailers” on a regular basis, especially at outdoor festivals and markets. At these markets, you will find Food Trucks from around the Valley offering donuts, BBQ, burgers, nachos, and of course tacos. In fact, one food trailer, Big Wheezy’s BBQ, recently announced its debut in Grandview. Matthew Phillips, of Big Wheezy’s BBQ grew up in Grandview and has been cooking since he was 16. He attended Culinary School in Florida and has been growing his business via online sales and deliveries for several years.

Phillips chose a food trailer because it gives him freedom of movement. “I can travel with it where I want to and I always have my kitchen with me,” explained Phillips. He also explained that with a food truck there are lower overhead costs than to run a business, with only a few positions to fill it leaves more cash flow and you can potentially pay your employees higher wages. Phillips’ Food Truck will feature American style BBQ. He says, “I like to pull influences from the four main BBQ regions, Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, or Kansas City, but I’m always incorporating something new, always experimenting.”

A Food Truck can be the best of both worlds for business owners and patrons alike. Food Trucks will begin trickling through the Yakima Valley, but as Phillips encouraged, “The Food Truck scene is going to need some help from city councils, city officials, and citizens along the way to get outdated laws updated. That is one of my main goals for Grandview. People need to see food trucks/trailers in a new light.”

It will be exciting and profitable to watch as this nationwide trend begins to take root in our local communities.

Thursday, March

Big Wheezy’s BBQ debuted Thursday, March 23rd at 710 E. Wine Country Road.

WA State Department of Agriculture Director and Executive Leadership

Sunheaven Farms in the Horse Heaven Hills

Derek Sandison was appointed director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture by Govenor Jay Inslee effective June 15, 2015. As WSDA Director, Sandison oversees an agency responsible for animal health, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, weights and measures, pesticide registration and marketing the state’s agricultural products regionally and globally.

Sandison is familiar to many in the agriculture industry from his previous role as director of the state Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River, where he oversaw numerous water supply development projects important to farmers and ranchers. He was also a principal architect of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan and has played a key role in the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Project.

Patrick Capper, Deputy Director joined WSDA as a policy advisor to the director in 2014. He was hired as senior advisor to the director in 2016.

In 2017, Capper was appointed to his current role as Deputy Director. Capper has served as the director’s designee on the Forest Practices Board and currently represents WSDA on the Washington State Economic Finance Authority.

Before coming to WSDA, he worked as a policy advisor for the Washington State House Republicans.

Capper has also worked in government relations and as a staffer for Representative Deborah Boone (D-Cannon Beach). He holds a Bachelor of Science in politics from Willamette University in Salem Oregon.

Jason Ferrante is the Associate Deputy Director. His career with WSDA started in 2004 as a grain sampler at the Tacoma Grain Inspection Office.

In 2016, Ferrante was hired as the Assistant Director of the Commodity Inspection Division and in 2018, was hired as Assistant Director for Administrative Services where he oversaw a number of central agency services, including human resources, information technology, facilities, contracts, specialty crop block grant, emergency and rapid response, administrative regulations, safety and risk, and performance management. Most recently, Ferrante was appointed to the role of Associate Deputy Director where he continues to oversee the programs under the Administrative Services Division and also works closely with the Director and Deputy Director on agency operations.

TOP 10 COMMODITIES

Prosser - Sunheaven Farms is located in Prosser, Washington in the Horse Heaven Hills area. It consists of a group of five individual Family Farms: Robert Munn and Sons; D. Munn and Sons; Brent Schulthies; Clyde Bybee; and Brent Hartley Farms. Onions being the largest acreage and production with close to 12,000 acres grown annually. There are three packing sheds which consist of Bybee Produce, Sunset Produce, and Hartley Produce. As a group, they produce row crops of onions, shallots, carrots, sugar beets, wheat, sweet corn, field corn, beans, peas, and turf grass seed.

Howard Jensen is the General Manager of Sunheaven Farms. Jensen’s present duties include the daily business of the Farm’s operations and oversight of its business development and legal and government relations. His responsibilities also include managing business oversight of the Company Controller, Human Resources, Agronomist, and the extensive irrigation systems operated by the Farm. Jensen also oversees development of Sunheaven Farms ventures, Horse Heaven Supply, a full retail farm and irrigation supply outlet.

Jensen’s business experience and duties have placed him in various communities in Eastern Washington including Grandview and Yakima. Horse Heaven Supply is a retail supply store with irrigation parts, hoses, galvanized or steel fittings, and inventory to keep the Horse Heaven farms running. They are located at 118307 S. SR 221, Prosser (509) 786-7592.

Washington’s farms power a diverse agricultural economy, led by the state’s apple industry with 70 percent of U.S. production.

The staff at Sunheaven Farms office and adjoining businesses, Columbia River Services, and Horse Heaven Supply provide the following services: Safety, Human Resources, Accounting, Agronomy, Irrigation Management and daily oversight of our irrigation system, Pump and Motor Maintenance, Government and Public relations, installation of irrigation pipe, pumps, and motors, electrical work, road and equipment maintenance, administrative assistant responsibilities, and operation of a retail parts store. They are located at 118305 S. SR 221, Prosser - (509) 786-1013.

Yakima Valley College Paving the Way for the Future of Agricultural Careers

Grandview - Agriculture is one of the largest employers in the state of Washington. Agriculture (Ag) career opportunities are currently accelerating, however, many in management-level ag positions are nearing retirement age and there are not enough younger people entering the industry to replace them.

According to Stacey Gringas Huff, a Yakima Valley College (YVC) Agriculture and Biology Instructor, “This phenomenon has been dubbed “The Silver Tsunami”. The shortage of future farmers is very concerning, especially as more and more people have a disconnect with how the fruits and vegetables they depend on are actually produced, and how those same people have become totally reliant on large-scale farms to produce the food they purchase at the supermarket.”

Job growth projections show an increase of up to seven percent within the crop and animal production and supporting industries. This includes jobs on farms, in factories, in laboratories, and on the sales floor. The Ag program at YVC aims to help move students into these interesting, challenging, and rewarding careers in the industry. YVC has offered agriculture programs for decades, however these programs have evolved with industry demand and student interest. YVC’s agriculture degrees provide students with the necessary skills and abilities that employers desire.

The first major addition to the program roster occurred in the mid 2000’s with the start of the Vineyard and Winery Tech AAS programs and several associated certifications, including wine sales.

During this time, a fully-fledged teaching winery was created at the Grandview campus where students began making award-winning wines. The Yakima Valley Vintners Tasting Room opened shortly thereafter. Then the first YVC’s student-led label, was poured and sold in 2008. These programs continue to update as industry needs change and are still popular with students.

In 2018-2019, another two-year degree program in Production and Pest Management and its associated certificate for scouting was added to program offerings. Advisors from various ag operations helped to create the curriculum for every course in these programs to ensure that students would come out ready to fulfill ag employer’s needs.

Last fall, the first group of students were enrolled into the new Bachelors of Agricultural Sciences (BASAG) program. The program is designed to support students who are already working in the ag industry and want to level up in their career, with nighttime, hybrid, and handson coursework. Management-level skillsets and diversified crop and

business knowledge make up the core of the BASAG program. The BASAG application window runs from March through May, with a new assemblage starting each fall quarter. YVC typically has around 20 students moving through the Agribusiness and Vineyard and Winery Tech programs at any point in time, capacity is set around 30 students. With a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree students learn more than theory; they get the hands on experience that is crucial to the industry. Students are placed into an internship with local employers as a way to get exposure and fine tune their field experiences to help them choose the career that best suits their interests.

The program is building momentum. The students come from a variety of backgrounds, about half are already working in the industry in some capacity. Others are looking for a new career either through a worker retraining program or just pursuing an interest in the ag field. The YVC program can be very accommodating to these students offering evening classes and often times their current job can be utilized for their internship, working with the employer to cover certain criteria.

YVC is also reaching out to High School Ag programs to entice prospective students into their programs. Tuesday, March 21st YVC held an Ag Open House, where they invited local High School Ag programs to participate

in a variety of workshops. Students from Grandview and Sunnyside High Schools were in attendance. Students heard from presenters in various Ag fields. Trellx Engineering and Consulting was onsite sharing about the work they do mapping properties to drill through rocks to prepare soils for vineyard trellis and other crops.

RDO Equipment demonstrated their autonomous sprayer. This sprayer is relatively new technology in the Pacific Northwest. The sprayer moves via computer technology using a controller similar to a gaming control. “This allows the system to do the hard stuff. Rather than needing one operator for each

piece of equipment, one control operator can run four machines,” explained Dave Delmoro. These innovations will transform farming in the coming years. Wayne Pearson, of Valley Ag, encouraged students to, “Never stop learning, don’t get stagnant. Stay at the top of your game, be a problem solver. Ag is always changing. Experience over time equals wisdom.” In addition to the morning sessions, the evening also included a tour of the teaching winery.

Trent Ball, Ag Department Chair, shared with attendees the process and equipment available for students to experience wine making. Equipment in the winery is chosen

to represent what students will find at local employers, helping them be prepared to use any equipment an employer has onsite. One attendee mentioned, “I would like to own an orchard, but nobody wants to show me. I’m looking for a way to learn how.” That is certainly what YVC is seeking to do, offer pathways to ensure vitality for the future of the agricultural industry. Students going through YVC’s programs will develop an understanding of basic business management and agricultural production principles. They can apply these skills to career opportunities including crop productions managers, sales representatives, farmers, ranchers,

agribusiness managers and owners, and record keep specialists. Graduates of wine and vineyard programs can pursue careers opportunities that include grape production manager, crew supervisor, technical advisor, production crew worker, tasting room attendants, wine club managers, technician, quality control specialist, wine maker assistant, retail salesperson, and plant operation supervisor. If you are interested in pursuing a degree in agriculture, look into the programs at YVC campus, after all as Dr. Holly Ferguson, Viticulture Faculty, mentioned, “School is just down the road.”

evening session of YVC’s open house was tailored towards adults interested in finding out about the ag programs offered, the evening included a tour of the teaching winery by Trent Ball, Ag Economist.

JANUARY

January 30, 2023

Community Awards Banquet

FEBRUARY

February 11, 2023

Daddy & Daughter Sweet Prom

February 16-19, 2023

Red Wine & Chocolate

February 20, 2023

Miss Prosser Pageant

MARCH

Month of March

Seuss on the Loose

March 11, 2023

Sip & Stroll

APRIL

April 22, 2023

Mom & Son Date Night

April 28-30, 2023

Spring Barrel Tasting

April 8, 2023

Easter Egg Hunt and Free Family Movie

April 15, 2023

Downtown Spring Cleanup

MAY

May 6, 2023

Girl’s Dirby Day

May 13, 2023

Century Bike Ride

May 27-29, 2023

Free Swim - Memorial Day

Weekend

JUNE

June 3 - October 7, 2023

Farmers Market

June 10, 2023

Prosser High School Graduation

June 9-10, 2023

Bottles Brews Barbecues

June 17, 2023

Prosser Scottish Fest and Highland Games

JULY

July 1, 2023

Red, White & Blues Market

July 4, 2023

Old-Fashioned Fourth of July

Celebration

July 15, 2023

Prosser Art Walk & Wine Gala

July 22-23, 2023

Prosser 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

AUGUST

August 1, 2023

National Night Out

August 26, 2023

Prosser Beer & Whiskey Festival

SEPTEMBER

September 1-4, 2023

Prosser Airport Fly-In

September 4, 2023

Prosser State’s Day Celebration

September 9, 2023

Horse Heaven Hills Trail Drive

September 16, 2023

Fall Clean Up

September 22-24, 2023

The Great Prosser Balloon Rally

September 22-24, 2023

Harvest Festival and Street Painting Festival

OCTOBER

October 1, 2023

PNW Mustang Car Show

October 13-15, 2023

Catch the Crush

October 14, 2023

Touch-a-Truck

October 31, 2023

Downtown Trick-or-Treat

NOVEMBER

November 11, 2023

Veterans Day Parade

November 11, 2023

Bubbles & Bites

November 17, 2023

Festival of Trees, Dinner and Auction, Boys & Girls Club

November 25, 2023

Princess Theater Christmas Market

November 23-26, 2023

Thanksgiving in Wine Country

November 25, 2023

Small Business Saturday

DECEMBER

December 1, 2023

Christmas Tree Lighting at the Depot

Grandview Days Vendor Market Miss Grandview Scholarship Program Grandview Community

Parade Grandtoberfest with Annual Car Show & Grape Stomp & Family Fun Events Comunity

Awards Banquet & Annual Auction Trunk-or-Treat Cocoa & Carols Christmas Tree Lighting

Grandview Rose Garden, Picture Perfect

Grandview - All dressed up and ready for a photo shoot? There’s a popular place just at the entrance of town. Grandview’s Rose Garden is located on Wine Country Road at Legion Park. This park gets quite a bit of foot traffic with the Palacios Parkway path going right through it. This pathway is popular for cyclists and walkers getting some exercise as the path can take you from Prosser to Sunnyside.

This park is home to over three hundred roses. The roses are planted along a small pathway that winds around a wooden gazebo. Grassy lawns around the rose bushes make the perfect spot for a spring picnic and there are several picnic benches available. Glance over as you pull into town and you will often see a limousine stretched out in the parking lot, to give a quinceañera court a beautiful place to take photos.

Where did all these roses come from? Have they always been there?

Grandview’s Rose Garden was originally planted in 1952 next to Westside Park. Charles T. Worley, a surveyor laid out the plans for the garden. The weed patch full of alkali was transformed into a beautiful rose garden by digging dep paths and filling the rose beds with topsoil. The alkali was irrigated out and the rose garden started to take root. It was originally maintained by Grandview’s Garden Club.

In 1967, the Grandview Garden Club received the Richfield Conservation of Civic Beauty Award at the state convention and received $50 worth of roses and a representative was sent to be present for the planting.

The award plaque read, “in acknowledgement of outstanding contribution to the furthering of community improvement and civic beautification”. At the time the garden contained 960 bushes and approximately 406 varieties.

When amongst the roses, one should take in the fragrance. The fragrance is in the oils of the petals (sometimes the foliage too), each rose giving its distinctive fragrance. A rose will release its most intense fragrance on a warm, still, slightly humid day when the flower is partially open. Many old garden roses are more powerfully fragrant than modern roses. No wonder people always say, “Stop and smell the roses”.

The rose garden had its 20th Anniversary in June 1971, and installed a name plate reading; “This rose garden is dedicated to the memory of Lila Bugg, Chairman 1951-1972.” The rose garden was

quite a challenge to maintain and club members would meet weekly to tend to the roses. The women of the Garden Club would earn money for garden maintenance by holding rummage sales, winning awards, and other fundraising efforts. Then Councilman Orrin Dybdahl would bring his agriculture students to the garden to help cover roses before winter and occasionally city prisoners would assist with the gardening.

In March of 2010, the decision was made to move the rose garden to the entrance of town, its current location. This would allow the garden to be more visible to the community and neighboring travelers. The community at large came out to help assisting in carefully transplanting the bushes along the designated path. An irrigation system was built in to assist in maintaining the garden. The garden became too difficult to maintain by volunteers and is currently maintained by the City of Grandview.

Recently in 2022, two benches were installed to honor the work of Auxiliary Captains Royce and Jacqueline Bynum, founders of the Grandview Salvation Army. These benches were brought over from England and donated by their family for their service to the community. A dedication memorial celebration was held in their honor. The Grandview Rose Garden holds a rich piece of history in Grandview. Its beauty has been commemorated all over the state and it continues to be a vibrant place for groups to gather. It is one of Grandview’s signature landmarks. The roses come to full bloom in mid-June, but the garden can be a beautiful backdrop year around. A cobblestone archway gives the entrance charm, and the wooden gazebo gives a touch of shelter. It is the perfect place for maternity photos, family photos, engagement photos, quinceañeras, senior pictures, and even wedding photos. Next time you are in the picture-perfect mood, head on over to the Grandview Rose Garden and get ready to smile!

Prosser Economic Development Supports Industry

Prosser Major Industrial Employers

Tree Top, Inc. a grower owned apple and pear products and concentrate processor (1,100 grower/owners in WA, ID & OR); 125 employees.

2780 Lee Road (509) 786-2926

Milne Fruit a locally owned

Zirkle

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