Conscious Choice Seattle: Seeing Red

August 2005 | Back Woods

Seeing Red

Whatcom County states our case for raspberries

By Ritzy Ryciak

They are fun to U-pick, delicious to eat and, surprisingly enough, quite plentiful in our state.

"Washington is the leading raspberry state in the nation,” says Henry Bierlink, executive director of the Washington Red Raspberry Commission. “We produce over 60 percent of the nation’s raspberries."

What’s more, if you eat raspberries in any form other than fresh, chances are even greater you are tasting a tart and sweet Washington berry. Eighty-five percent of the U.S. processed raspberry market–packed, frozen, jams and juices, anything other than fresh berries–comes from Washington."

A big reason is Whatcom County–west of the Cascades and home to Bellingham and Mt. Baker. It grows more than three-quarters of the state’s raspberries.

"It takes some expertise to produce these berries and we have generations that have been at it for quite awhile,” says Bierlink.

He attributes Washington’s dominant raspberry production to good soil, good farmers and a good climate.

"Raspberries don’t like the extreme heat,” he explains. “They are very soft fruit, and the hotter it is, the softer they become."

Washington, which began as predominately strawberry country, offers an ideal Mediterranean climate for raspberries to flourish. The Washington raspberry harvest usually begins in late June and runs through mid-August. There are also a number of farms that grow fall-bearing varieties. We’re lucky. It’s common to find fresh Washington raspberries well into the autumn months.

Farmers here have been producing raspberries since the 1920s, yet the real advance in crop raspberries didn’t occur until the mid-1970s when machine harvesters were introduced.

"It is a lot of labor to hand pick them,” says Bierlink, who likes to eat his raspberries fresh, frozen and baked in a raspberry jumble. “Once the machine harvester arrived, it allowed for more berries to go in the ground, and then they really took off in terms of acreage and production."

The agriculture census estimates that Washington has approximately 9,500 acres dedicated to raspberries. But Bierlink, who works with raspberry farmers all over the state, estimates the Washington raspberry farm acreage is more than 10,000 acres.
Pop a handful of these sweet little berries in your mouth, and it becomes obvious why there are more than 160 red raspberry farms in the state of Washington.

Raspberries–belonging to the genus Rubus, which means red–are part of the rose family. They are rich in Vitamin C and serve as a good source of soluble fiber. They have been found to lower high blood cholesterol levels and slow the release of carbohydrates into the blood stream of diabetics.

Raspberries also contain ellagic acid. Research shows this acid is easily absorbable in the body and known to cause death to certain cancer cells, including: colon, esophageal, liver, lung, tongue and skin cancers. The anthocyanins in raspberries are documented as protectors against age-related mental decline.

In June, Bierlink traveled to Corvallis, Ore. to attend the first-ever International Berry Health Symposium. The international conference was dedicated to exploring the latest scientific research related to berries and human health. Researchers, journalists and farmers from all over the world gathered to discuss new research findings on berries and their profound effect on human disease and prevention.

"Researchers have found that there is synergy in eating a diet rich in berries,” says Bierlink. “The nutraceutical, health food properties [of eating a serving of berries each day] are just phenomenal."

In the journal Nutrition and Cancer, black raspberries were found effective in preventing colon tumors from forming in rats. Other studies have touted the nutritional wonders of blueberries and strawberries.

While red raspberry growers would benefit from directed research studies, the crop already has anecdotal history on its side. During the 18th century, raspberries were used as a cure for sore eyes and throats and as a means to cleanse the teeth. In some cultures they are even used as a love-inducing fruit.

Others believe raspberries represent an ideal food for developing children.

"We have families from Ukraine come here and pick hundreds of pounds of raspberries,” says Herman Harvold, owner with his wife, Nancy, of Harvold’s U-pick strawberry and raspberry farm in Carnation.

"It is part of their culture to feed the raspberries to their children,” adds Nancy.
Brewed raspberry leaves are often used as a tonic for the uterus and as a treatment for upset tummies, especially in children.

But let’s not lose sight of the most important reason, er, reasons for celebrating Washington’s champion raspberries. During a recent heady afternoon at Harvold’s seven-plus acres of raspberry plants, you could hear leaves rustle, twigs break and berries drop in buckets. Also overheard: Plans for soon-to-be baked cobblers and pies, along with the decidedly modern-day yearning for a smoothie.

Ritzy Ryciak is a regular contributor for EM.

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