Wenatchee Valley may be known as the Apple Capital of the World, but amongst the sunshine and summertime, there’s more than just an apple a day keeping doctors away in these parts. Yes, Wenatchee is ripe for the picking with not just apples but plenty of other fruits and vegetables, as the region boasts a bounty of fresh produce. With vibrant colors, sweet aromas, and the promise of fresh farm–to–table food, Wenatchee’s fruit stands and farmers markets are a feast for the senses as they offer these summer delights that can only be found in the Wenatchee Valley.
Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market
7 N. Worthen Street, Wenatchee
509.870.9836
Open every summer Saturday in May through October from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the west parking lot at the Pybus Public Market is the lovely Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market. The local farmer’s market has been serving the community since 1979 after local Wenatchee businesswoman Fran Taber and local farmer Jerry Pipitone approached Mayor Jim Lynch with an idea for a local venue where farmers could sell their produce directly to the community. Four decades later, the Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market is still going strong and has even blossomed enough to help kickstart other markets in Leavenworth, Cashmere, and East Wenatchee. As the market expanded, it would eventually outgrow its home several times over and find itself searching for bigger venue options.
Eventually, it found its way to its current home at Pybus Public Market in 2013 after some renovations to the property. Pybus’ eclectic blend of shops and restaurants inside, along with the wonderful combination of activities at Wenatchee Riverfront Park and the Apple Capital Loop Trail, has made it a perfect fit for the Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, giving them plenty of space and plenty of opportunity to serve the local community. Whether you’re looking for seasonal fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, one-of-a-kind art, or just want to enjoy the sunshine and summertime, they invite you to stop by and enjoy their thriving marketplace that supports local farmers, small businesses, and the wider Wenatchee community!
Miller Orchards
7306 US Highway 97, Peshastin
509.669.1585
Established in 1905, Miller Orchards is a fourth-generation family farm that grows various crops, including cherries, apples, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and many more yummy fruits. Don’t forget to try their pears! Thanks to their location along the East slopes of the Cascades, the warm days and cool nights help Miller Orchards produce some of the finest pears in the world.
You’ll also find plenty of vegetable options as well, including carrots, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, squash, and everyone’s favorite summertime favorite, tomatoes! Stop by their fruit stand anytime between May and November. They’ll be open every day of the week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., offering you all your farm-to-table favorites!
Estes Fruit Stand and Flowers
13656 State Route 2, East Wenatchee
509.884.2034
For over five decades, Estes Fruit Stand and Flowers have been a cherished staple of the Wenatchee community, having been started by Jim and Joan Estes in the 1970s. Besides the vast assortment of fruits and vegetables, which includes peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, asparagus, cucumbers, and more, the local produce stand carries a large selection of specialty canned goods, including pickles, syrups, salad dressings, and sauces.
However, the stand is most famous for its colorful hanging baskets of flowers that decorate the entryway in a magnificent display showcasing the season’s beauty and bounty. One can’t help but fall in love with their blooms, and lucky for shoppers, these baskets are also available for purchase, meaning you can take some home for yourself and decorate your yard just as lavishly. Nothing says summer like a produce stand and fresh flowers!
Pybus Public Market
3 North Worthen, Wenatchee
509.888.3900
Next to the Columbia River waterfront at the foot of Orondo Street lies a remodeled historic warehouse home to a unique shopping experience at the heart of Pybus Public Market. Now, with more than 20 restaurants, shops, and specialty stores, the market first opened its doors in 2013 after three years of work and anticipation from the Wenatchee community. It’s named after E.T. Pybus, who owned the steel warehouse for decades before the Port of Chelan County acquired the property in 2010. Designers on the project were able to maintain the structure’s industrial flair.
Since its opening, it has become a significant gathering spot, drawing in tourists and locals alike as they peruse the various vendors found within its corrugated steel walls. It is currently open daily and bustling with business as it bursts with high-quality selections of artisan and ethnic products, locally grown fruits and vegetables, flowers, nuts, oils, meats, Washington wines and freshly made, prepared foods from some of the best restaurants in the state!
The next time you need some fresh produce, ditch the supermarket routine and embrace the bounty that the beautiful Wenatchee Valley has to offer. After all, we may be known as the Apple Capital of the World, but that’s not all that’s not all the produce growing around these parts. So, stop on in to any of these local farmers markets and fruit stands and discover all the bountiful Wenatchee Valley has to offer!
