THE DALLES — Ken and Liz Polehn, named King Bing and Queen Anne for the 2024 Cherry Festival, have an easy banter about their working lives as owners of Polehn Farms, Inc.
Asked when Ken started working in cherries, he said, “Since I was born,” and Liz joked, “Longer than that.”
Ken’s parents, Marvin and Donella Polehn, began farming cherry orchards in the mid-1950s, shortly after they got married.
Ken said his parents were among the first to be named King Bing and Queen Anne for the Cherry Festival. Now, to follow in their footsteps is “an honor,” he said. “We’ve dedicated our whole lives to the cherry industry so it’s kind of nice to get recognized.”
The Cherry Festival runs this year from April 19-21, featuring a parade on Saturday, April 20, beginning at 10 a.m., and a carnival downtown. For more information, visit thedalleschamber.com/northwest-cherry-festival.
The Polehns run one of only two packing houses in Wasco County. He’s in charge of the orchard work, and Liz oversees the packing house.
“Nothing more satisfying than to be out there at daylight and hearing people talking and fruit hitting the bucket,” Ken said.
As for the packing house, Liz said, “for me it’s about community and family.” She noted many families return every year to work for them.
“Salt of the earth people,” Ken said.
Liz said harvest time is “almost like going to summer camp and seeing your friends. It’s a team effort of everybody coming together and making it all happen.”
Both lauded their employees, who help bring in the harvest every year. “Families that return year after year after year are the backbone of our success,” Ken said. “We have just fabulous people to work with.”
Asked if he’d do this career all over again, Ken said, “Yeah, I would. I think Liz would run screaming for the hills.”
As to whether she’d really do that, it all boils down to when exactly you ask her. “I enjoy the challenge,” she said. “But ask me July 23, when I’ve been working 16-hour days. That’s when I’m usually over it.”
But Liz is ultimately on board with it. “Cherries have really been pretty good to us, over time. There’s always something to learn.”
As with many industries, significant changes have happened over the decades. In the early years, much of the cherry crop was used for processed fruit, such as maraschino and cannery fruit.
“We grew Bings for cannery and Royal Annes for maraschinos,” Ken said.
As the years have gone by, the number of cherry varietals they plant has at least tripled, to at least 12 or so, and they’ve switched to the fresh fruit market. Now, 40-60% of their yield stays in the domestic fresh market, and the rest goes abroad, mostly to Asia.
All those new varietals, which are planted at different elevations, ripen at different times, stretching what was once a two-week harvest into a five to eight week marathon.
But the biggest change is, the previously more seasonal work in cherries has now stretched to a year-round effort. “There’s no downtime anymore,” Ken said. “And it’s really about ensuring quality for the next year, as best you can.”
Since their product is fresh, speed is critical in reaching the market. Just three days after a cherry is picked, it has landed in an airport in an Asian country.
While Ken grew up here, Liz is from San Francisco. She did spend summers in The Dalles with her grandma (Liz’s mom is from The Dalles), and ultimately attended high school here, graduating from Dufur.
Both of the Polehns, who have three kids and seven grandkids, are high-energy people who have been extensively involved in the community their entire lives.
Ken sits on the Wasco County Fair Board, has twice been president of the Wasco County Farm Bureau, and has been a member of the Wasco County budget committee and the Wasco County property tax appeals board.
Liz has both volunteered and been paid staff at Home at Last animal shelter. She also helped revive and run the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank for years, has been a 4-H leader, and has served on the Little League board. “I was the lady who bought all the hotdogs and Laffy Taffy, made sure there was enough popcorn.”
She also sits on The Dalles Irrigation District Board.
As for her work with the animal shelter, she said it was about addressing community needs. “Animal problems are ultimately people problems.”
Ken noted, “I guess we’re both kind of fixers by nature. You see a problem, ‘Oh, I can fix that.’”
Both have also served on their church’s board.
Asked why he’s so involved, Ken said, “Honestly, it’s a sense of just giving back to the community.”
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.