Pick them while you can. Richland orchard in one of its final seasons
U-Pick cherry season started at Richland’s Ray French Orchards with the sun shining, moderate temperatures and sweet cherries bursting from row after row of trees.
The multi-generation cherry and peach orchard in opened for business Thursday, informally kicking off cherry season in the Tri-Cities.
It was a sweet moment but comes with news that 2026 will be one of its last years. Sandra and Ray French announced they are winding down and will close the orchard in 2027, or possibly 2028.
The couple took over from founders Miriam and Ray French Sr., both in their 70s and ready to step back.
They cited their ages, the unpredictable nature of growing cherries, high costs, including property taxes, and development pressures for their decision.
Their grown children don’t see a way for the orchard to break even, and the demand for their land for homes is intense.
“I’m feeling encroached upon,” said Sandra French, waving at homes in a subdivision bordering the orchard. Ray French is near Kennedy and Keene roads, behind Temple Baptist Church.
The orchard, once 160 acres, will likely be sold for development. Ten acres behind the couple’s picturesque house have already been targeted for a new neighborhood.
But until they sell, Ray French Orchards is open for business, as long as the Rainier and Benton cherries hold out.
The first day brought a steady stream of customers, including old friends and families who have come to pick their own cherries — and peaches later in the season — bringing new children and grandchildren with them.
Early 2026 start
The 2026 season started a bit early. Robin French credits a patch of hot weather and spring rains for ripening the fruit early.
The Washington State Fruit Commission predicts a slightly smaller crop overall, putting it somewhere between 18.4 million and 19.2 million boxes.
Washington is the nation’s leading producer of sweet cherries. Together with asparagus, they are among the first crops to mature and signal the start of farmers market season.
At Ray French, customers bring their own bags and buckets, though paper grocery bags are available.
They pick what they want and pay by the pound — $3.90 for Rainiers and $3.65 for Bentons.
Four generations
Cheri Gaines of West Richland headed a merry party consisting of four generations of her family.
She brought her daughter Lisa Hampton of Richland, her granddaughter Sarah Fritz, also of Richland, and great-granddaughters, Beckett Fritz, almost 5, and Sheridan Fritz, 3.
Gaines moved carefully, bracing herself with a cane on the uneven ground. The little girls buzzed nearby, picking low-hanging fruit while the adults chatted and reached for higher branches.
Hampton said she and her mom have picked cherries at Ray French for decades and appreciate sharing the experience with the next generation.
“We love it. It’s so close, and they have what we want,” she said.
Commercial roots
Miriam and Ray French Sr. launched the business as a commercial orchard that grew a variety of fruits, including cherries, peaches and apples. Robin and his brothers, Raymond Jr. and Tommy, were raised on the site.
Robin graduated from Richland High School and studied horticulture at Washington State University. He was not, he said, an eager student, preferring hands-on experiences to books.
Looking back on decades of orchard work, he marveled at the scale of the task.
“I can’t believe all the work I did in my 40s,” he said. Today, he’s still as busy and roams the property on a 4x4 with his dog, Ollie, in tow.
The family converted the orchard to the U-pick model in the mid 1980s after a freeze forced them to rethink their business model.
They replaced aging trees with dwarf and low-growing varieties. That’s deliberate. The fruit can be picked by people standing on the ground. Customers aren’t allowed to use ladders or step stools.
Robin took over management in 1992. Ray Sr. and Miriam passed in 2009 and 2019, respectively, according to the family history. Robin and Sandra have owned a share of the property since 2019.
Though the days are numbered, Sandra French said the orchard has been a blessing.
“This land was dedicated to the Lord. He has blessed it,” she said.
If you go
- Address: 955 Harvest Lane PR NE, Richland.
- In season: Rainier and Benton cherries. Still to come: Donut Peaches
- Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday.
- Payment Cash, debit, credit, Apple/Google pay. No checks.
- Driving: Drive slowly on the dirt driveway for safety and to minimize dust.
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