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For as long as our family has been producing fruit, our grandfather Roy Webster has had some form of his annual Roy Webster Columbia River Cross Channel Swim here in Hood River. For decades the swim has attracted thousands of swimmers from around the globe in what started as our grandfather and his friends simply enjoying exercise outdoors.
 One favorite memory of Grandpa Roy was from a year when they cancelled the swim due to high winds and choppy water. He was probably in his eighties at that point and starting to slow down, but he refused to accept the Sheriff’s cancellation. He hobbled down to the water, with our Dad chasing him, and swam out 100 yards before turning back. He was walking proud when he came back to shore. Roy traveled around the nation and even to a few foreign countries for swim meets. He’d come back with all sorts of medals, which he would give us on occasion. They were incredibly special treasures to us kids. We later heard that often at these meets there would only be one or two other people in his age group, so he received a medal no matter what. 
He wasn’t the fastest swimmer, but he was steady. He was a visionary orchardist in the Hood River Valley and at one point he owned 600 acres of some of the most fertile land in the region. He initiated the first Webster Orchards mail-order fruit catalog that later became The Fruit Company’s booming national business. His passion for planting the Webster Comice (which he called “the Cadillac of pears”) and improving the product delivered to loyal fruit lovers are tenants we hold dear to this day. Not to mention his endless joie de vivre for life and living healthy.
If you’d like to participate in our Grandpa Roy’s annual swim on September 3rd this year, please visit the Hood River Chamber of Commerce’s website for an application and more information. We know Roy would love to see you there.  |
Ever wonder how the great minds work inside the gifting industry? Look no further! All of us at The Fruit Company are excited for our new blog, featuring entries from us, your local fruit experts and enthusiasts. |
Nectarines: All peach, no fuzz. We’ll also cover the beginning of Pear Harvest in the Hood River Valley! Exclusive photos and video document the harvest of our famous fruit.
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The season of the peach is finally here! Grab a napkin or ten and get ready to enjoy an all-American favorite... Or is it?
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