Farmers Feeding America: Washington's @ApplegirlKait
Washington Farm Girl, Kait Thornton, is set out on a mission to help people learn about their food while maintaining her 4th generation family farm and celebrating all that is special about helping bolster America's food chain. She's a shining example of how farmers literally feed America.
Introduce yourself in 3 sentences
My name is Kait Thornton, I’m a 4th generation apple and pear grower from Tonasket, WA! I recently got my degree in Marketing from Washington State University. I have a strong passion for agriculture and showing people who & where their food comes from!
What do you farm/ranch and where are you located?
We grow about 60% pears and 40% apples across several varieties of each type of fruit. I’m from Tonasket, Washington which is a town of about 1,200 people 20 minutes from the Canadian border!
How long has the ranch been in your family? What generation are you?
In 2025 we will have been in the valley for 100 years, I’m the 4th generation to grow fruit in our family but I know our family’s ag roots go even deeper than that.
Is it your plan to take over the operation into the future?
Right now I am the succession plan so dad is training me to assume a management position in the future. But, there’s a LOT to it so that will take time.
How big is your operation?
We’ve got about 440 operational acres of apples & pears. Right now that’s producing about 12-14 million pounds of fruit every year!
Where does your product end up for the consumer? Mass retail, seed stock, etc. Think of every possibility that your product ends up in. Showcase how farmers feed America!
We are commercial growers, so majority of our fruit does end up in retail grocery stores from Walmart down to your local family grocery! We do have a lot of fruit ending up overseas in places like India and China.
What is the most important thing to you that we teach people about farming/ranching to help it last into the future?
One of the biggest things I push for in ag is the fact that we have a GREAT story, we just need to tell it better. We have a wholesome, heroic occupation that America needs to hear more about, more than ever. Farmers & ranchers HAVE become more sustainable, efficient, and conscientious in their practices… we just need to brag on ourselves a little more. People want to feel good about where and who their food comes from.
Kait is a shining example of how we should be celebrating our farmers and ranchers throughout the US. Help Rural Cloth and American Cattle Company in celebrating how Farmers and Ranchers are the backbone of the US. You can follow Kait on instagram @AppleGirlKait