Black Star Ranch
The Gamache family began farming in Moxee in 1935 under the name Jeff Gamache Farms. Starting with vegetables and later focusing on hops, founder Jeff Gamache quickly established himself as a pioneer in hop production. He introduced one of the first hop-picking machines to the Yakima Valley and retrofitted a drying kiln with an innovative air-recirculation system, the first of its kind, creating a technology still in use today.
That spirit of innovation carried forward through the generations, as Jeff’s sons, Dale, Gene, and Lee, along with grandson Ed St. Mary, joined the farm, investing their lives in the success of the family business. Always looking ahead, the family became early adopters of sub-surface drip irrigation. In 2001, Ed’s eldest son Ben joined the farm, managing both labour and operations. When Lee retired in 2002, the family continued the legacy under a new name, Black Star Ranch.
Today, Black Star Ranch spans more than 300 hectares of hops and continues to grow thoughtfully as new land and family members join the business. Black Star Rach is guided by honesty, integrity, and commitment to quality. Their attention to detail has earned numerous Hop Grower of the Year awards from Miller-Coors and multiple recognitions from Yakima Chief Hops.
Grower Voices
Years ago, nobody knew what a hop grower was, and now we’re in the spotlight. A huge part of that is thanks to YCH's efforts. It's really cool to think about how connected we are to this industry, that our little farm is connected to brewers all over the world, and they want to come and see us because they care about what we do. It has changed the whole game.
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