Columbia Gorge Organic Fruit Co.

Hood River, Oregon USA

Columbia Gorge Organic Fruit Company is a family-owned business that is fully organic! The 180 certified organic acres of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, and plums is situated in the beautiful Hood River valley nestled between majestic Mt Hood and the awe inspiring waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge.

Nourishing the Soil

The Stewart Family’s philosophy about sustainable agriculture all starts with how a farmer treats their soils. Soil fertility is their primary goal and they believe that a healthy soil produces food that has the proper balance of vitamins and minerals which promotes better health. This is why they have an on-site compost facility that produces the highest quality humus that they apply to their soils annually. Organic farming is not about letting nature farm the planet, but rather, relying upon highly-skilled farmers to bring our world’s food supply to a new level.The Stewart Family started tending the orchards in 1975. In 1989 they began packing their own fruit and developed their own “Columbia Gorge” label and brand and 1995 they started their line of super-premium organic juices.

Pioneering for Healthy Progress

Like the pioneers that set out on the Oregon Trail to make a better life, the Stewart family bet everything they had on the belief that there was a better way to grow fruit. In 1989, they took a huge risk by transitioning their farm to organic. At that time many of the methods and materials for growing organic tree fruit did not exist.

Ron Stewart: Visionary

Ron Stewart, the father, helped pioneer many of the techniques that are now commonplace on organic farms throughout the Northwest. Growers who transition to organic today find it much easier because of trail blazers like the Stewart Family. In the mid 1990’s, that same pioneering spirit led them to start making a full line of organic refrigerated juices. Ronny and Jimmy, the sons, had been lamenting the lack of organic juice options in many Natural Food Stores, and they knew they could do better with organic fruit. The booming organic juice business they created is an extensive category of all-organic, competetively priced refrigerated juices.

Despite these many accomplishments, there is never a sense of completion. There is always a new project or new vision to pursue. Whether it is new fruit varieties to experiment with or new juice flavors, the passion and the vision never ceases. The drive for perfection, the curiosity and the willingness to experiment has kept this family farm vibrant and continually on the cutting edge of agriculture.