Longtime growers to sell 1,025 acres of their Grant County, Washington farmland

MOSES LAKE, Washington (Feb. 22, 2016) – After 32 years of growing potatoes and other crops in Grant County, Ron and Robin Fode are now preparing to trim back their operations and will offer approximately 1,025 acres of their rich farmland – most of which is irrigated – at auction.

Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers Inc. will conduct the event, in cooperation with Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company.

“We’ll continue to farm, but for family health reasons, we decided it’s time to reduce our holdings,” said Ron Fode, who is the third generation of his family to farm in America, and whose ancestors were farming in Germany before moving to the United States. The land, for which long term rotating potato leases are in place, will be offered in four tracts, all located within a five-mile radius, eight miles northeast of Moses Lake.

“This land not only has great multi-crop soils, but excellent water as well, with 775 irrigated acres, using canal water from the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Grand Coulee Dam. These tracts have deep loamy soils well suited to growing potatoes and other underground crops, and the land has been exceptionally well managed, with properly rotated crops. Existing rotating potato leases will remain in place for the new owners,” said Chuck Yarbro, president of the auction company.

Tracts include (all numbers are approximate):
• 162 acres (151 irrigated) with water provided by irrigation wells and shared water lines.
• 160 acres (159 irrigated) with Bureau Water via shared water lines.
• 200 acres (135 tillable).
• 502 acres (465 irrigated) with Bureau Water.

Auction representatives will be available at the property from 1 to 5 p.m. on March 7 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 10 to provide detailed information and accommodate inspections. The auction will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Grant County Fairgrounds 4-H Building in Moses Lake. Those seeking additional information may visit www.yarbro.com or call 509-765-6869.

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