Alvarez Family Farm in Yakima, WA
Another classic American success story
Courtesy of ATTRA (www.attra.org)
by ATTRAnews
July- August 2004
Former migrant worker earns
own land: Hilario Alvarez
(standing at center) and crew
clean onions on their farm in the
Yakima Valley of Washington.
Photo courtesy of Rural
Community Development
Resources
Almost
25 years ago when Hilario Alvarez came to the Yakima Valley in
Washington, he went to work for local farmers. He leased some land to
farm in his "off" hours and with his savings was eventually able to buy
25 acres.
Hearing about the Cesar Chavez
movement in California and the dangers of pesticides, Alvarez decided
to farm organically. Since 1991, he has sold much of his produce at the
bustling Pike Place Market in Seattle and also provides weekly boxes of
produce to area subscribers.
The nine Alvarez children are all involved in the farm — growing,
harvesting, packing, and marketing at farmers’ markets in the Tri
Cities and Yakima areas as well. On their 45 acres, the family produces
green beans, beets, cucumbers, eggplant, garbanzos, garlic, onions,
peas, peppers, potatoes, squash, sweet corn, tomatillos, tomatoes and
melons.
Hilario participates in the
training programs of the Center for Latino Farmers (see below for more)
and in various conferences, where he shares his experiences with
aspiring farmers and farmers’ market vendors.
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