What We're Growing
Every variety at Nadeau Farms was chosen for flavor, hardiness, and suitability to the Palouse climate. Here's what's going in the ground.
🍎 Apples
Apples are the backbone of our orchard. Eastern Washington is one of the top apple-growing regions in the world, and the Palouse offers the cold winters and warm summers that apple trees thrive in. We're selecting varieties that offer a range of flavors and harvest windows so there's always something ripe during the season.
Apple trees generally need 3–5 years from planting before they produce a harvestable crop. Proper pollination requires planting compatible varieties that bloom at the same time, which we've accounted for in our orchard design.
🍑 Peaches
Peaches are less common in Eastern Washington than apples, but cold-hardy varieties can do well here. The key is selecting cultivars that bloom late enough to avoid spring frost damage and ripen during our relatively short but warm summers. We're planting varieties developed specifically for colder climates.
Peach trees are among the faster fruit trees to bear — often producing small crops within 2–3 years of planting. However, they're also more susceptible to late frost, so we've positioned them in the warmest microclimate on our property.
🍐 Pears
Pears are among the longest-lived and most reliable fruit trees in the Pacific Northwest. They're naturally resistant to many common diseases and produce abundantly once established. The trade-off is patience — pear trees can take 4–6 years before their first real crop.
We're planting both European and Asian pear varieties to give visitors a range of flavors and textures. European pears ripen off the tree (pick them firm), while Asian pears are eaten crisp right off the branch.
Harvest Timeline
Different fruits and varieties ripen at different times. Our goal is to have something ready to pick from mid-summer through early fall. Check out our seasonal calendar for a month-by-month breakdown.