Tim Welsh of Wenatchee, WA, has been named the 2024 American Fruit GrowerSM Apple Grower of the Year. The award is presented by American Fruit Grower® magazine, published by Meister Media Worldwide.
Welsh started picking apples as a kid, became a field man, then just kept working his way up. Today he is Chief Orchardist, Columbia Orchard Management.
“Columbia Fruit Packers was bought out by a private equity group in 2022, so my job transitioned. A job I’d had for 34 years at the time transitioned to a new job, a new company, new people, and so it’s been a unique change,” he said. “But I feel like I’ve been in this industry that long, sort of in the same sort of evolving role, with my feet on the ground first as a field man, and then moving into orchard management, and then finally overseeing orchards for all of my company.”
Welsh, who will be featured on the cover of the Aug/Sept issue of American Fruit Grower magazine, will receive the Apple Grower of the Year Award in his hometown of Wenatchee in front of family and friends, which is appropriate for the affable Welsh.
Welsh is the 36th recipient of the award, sponsored by Valent USA, which honors individuals who influence the apple industry within the orchard and outside of it.