Agriculture 2012, The Chronicle, Omak, Wash. — Page 9
Riggan follows the ups and downs of orcharding
Skirko Business Services ,%$!!
$(#' #
%)
&
By Cheryl Schweizer The Chronicle
See Riggan Page 11
%$# % $ && % $ # ' $ +
$"
&' $+ % *&' %
# )
FOR AN EVEN GREATER SELECTION SHOP
S E A R S . C OM
PICK-UP IN YOUR LOCAL SEARS STORE EXCLUDES ALASKA Cheryl Schweizer/The Chronicle
Dalila Huerta, Brewster, sorts the culls from the salable Golden Delicious apples along the packing line at the Apple House processing facility, Pateros.
Farm Services to Meet All Your Needs ! ✓ ! ✓ ✓
" " ! # # !
ate lly Owned and Oper
d
oca
L
BREWSTER – Roy D. “Spider” Riggan Jr. is a living witness to the tides of economic history. The Riggan family orchard started in 1950, Riggan, 81, said. Riggan opened his own fruit processing facility, Apple House, in 1966. The orchard is still in production and the warehouse is still in operation, run Riggan by Riggan’s son, Cory, and nephews, Mac and Tom Riggan and Mac and Cass Gebbers. Spider Riggan, his sons and nephews are in the fruit business now because of hard times in Arkansas back in the 1930s. They’ve experienced hard times, even after World War II, Riggan’s wife, Ethel, said. “Most people grew corn for meal, and of course everybody had a garden,” Spider Riggan said. Times were so hard most people still used horses for transportation. “I remember when I saw my first car. It was a convertible,” Riggan said. He was 5 years old. Those were the days that breadwinners and then entire families pulled up stakes and headed out to anywhere there might be a job. Roy Riggan Sr. headed west in 1936, looking for work in the Pacific Northwest lumber industry. Upon arrival, he heard workers were needed in the fruit country of North Central Washington. “Dad hauled apples from the field with a team and slip,” Riggan said. He went back to Arkansas, but members of the Riggan family started coming west to stay. They weren’t alone. Many existing orchards are owned by the descendents of workers who hit the migrant trail in the 1930s, Riggan said Spider Riggan first came west in 1945, working at the Jim Wade orchard near Malott. “That was when they had German prisoners (of war) up there, picking fruit,” Riggan said. Orchards were dominated by Red and Golden Delicious, Riggan said. Even through Washington was one of the biggest fruit producers in the world, it was a
!
Locally owned and operated Rodger and Dawna Nicholas 636 Okoma Drive, Omak • 509-826-1730
Farm and Crop Insurance We offer: Competitive pricing • Excellent claims service Options to choose from • Years of experience Call Martin Morris Insurance for FREE consultation!
"
!
Wilson Woolschlager Omak/Okanogan 509-422-3880
Janet Jordan Omak/Okanogan 509-422-3880
Jim Clarkson Omak/Okanogan 509-422-3880
Clint Park Wenatchee/Chelan 509-663-1331
"
Complete Insurance Service at Competitive Prices Call Toll Free: 1-800-572-6614