Lifetime Contribution to Sonoma County Agriculture

Congratulations to longtime friend and farmer Lee Walker. Lee is being awarded the “Lifetime Contribution to Sonoma County Agriculture” by the 2008 Sonoma Harvest Fair. The Harvest Fair is an annual showcase of Sonoma’s diverse agricultural bounty and an award from the Fair is consider quite a hallmark among the locals.

Lee has been farming with his family in their Graton, CA apple orchard his whole life, except for a tour in the army and a few years playing pro baseball. Lee, his wife Shirley and their children have been maintaining their business through the thick and the thin-skinned times of the apple business. “We’ve been seeing for a long time that if we could just hang in there, the apple business would be a good business,” said Lee. “And now Gravensteins are a specialty item!” Walker Apples has been a champion for the Gravenstein and is a “Presidium Producer” for this wonderful heritage apple.

The Harvest Fair is Oct. 3-5 in Santa Rosa, CA and features contests for Sonoma wines as well as many other fine provisions. There’s a grape stomp, a llama parade, tasting of 500 wines and entertainment for everyone in the family.

Look for Golden Delicious apples from Lee Walker’s orchards in the West Coast Harvest Flyer boxes.