Harvesting Smiles

As the summer months come on strong, fruit stands become a common sight along the roadsides of Eastern Washington. Many are temporary, as fleeting as the sunshine itself – places to taste the sweetest fruits or the freshest vegetables before they’re gone, often just feet from the orchards or fields where they’re grown.

But for Mike Smallwood, who has been running Smallwood’s Harvest in Peshastin since 1976, it’s more than a temporary fruit stand. It’s a way to put a smile on people’s faces as they make the drive between Wenatchee and Leavenworth. And for nearly 50 years, it’s been working – customers can't help but smile when they stop in.

“We visit Smallwood’s Harvest every time we come to Leavenworth, and it is always a lot of fun,” said one happy customer, leaving a review on Smallwood’s Facebook page. “There is a large play area with something for everyone. The petting zoo is great. The animals seem very well cared for, and the enclosures are clean and well-kept. The store has fresh fruits and a lot of unique gifts. It is definitely worth stopping by if you are in the area.”

While kids enjoy the petting zoo (with donkeys, llamas, and chickens) or get their energy out in the massive playground area, adults love to check out the store and taste the local offerings. For Mike, it’s all about the fruits. The Peshastin area is world–renowned for its apple and pear orchards, because the growing conditions in the foothills of the Cascades are perfect for the crisp treefruits. Orchards are visible all throughout the long valley, and the farmers have created a tight–knit community. Many of their fruits are sold in the mercantile store at Smallwood’s Harvest.

“I grow about 20% of the produce at Smallwood’s,” Mike said. “The farmers that supply our store are close personal friends. We go out to dinner. I know the names of their dogs.”

When the Washington Grown TV crew stopped by in Season 12, Mike gave host Tomas Guzman a tour around all the fresh fruits that were in season at the time.

“Everything has a season, and they move quick, so if you blink an eye, you might miss it,” he said as they walked through the store. “The first thing that comes on that people really gravitate to is cherries. They’re a late season cherry, and people love them.”

Moving down the aisle, he reached a table loaded with pears. “Our main crop is pears. Everybody wants a hard crunchy apple, but they want a soft, mushy pear. Why? I can’t figure it out.”

In addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables, the mercantile store offers a seemingly endless variety of products. Candies, cookies, honey, pickles, sauces, popcorns, spice mixes, and other various goodies pile the shelves. Local wines are always on display, and many road–weary guests will take their bounty from the cashier's desk directly outside to the picnic area to enjoy before hitting the road again.

There are lots of fruit stands lining the long roads of Eastern Washington, but what makes Smallwood's stand out to people are the memories that have been made there through the years. Next time you drive through, what new memories will you make?