Years to Yes: A Valentine’s Love Story

From a 1995 FFA classroom to a raft trip in Idaho, this is the true story of how Chad and Jeana’s love began — and how it quietly laid the foundation for Chelan Valley Farms and Lagriōth Winery. by Chad

It was 1995 – I weigh 190 lbs, skinny as a bean pole, wearing “strangler Wranglers”, in the Sumner, WA High School Ag Science (FFA) classroom. I’m a senior she’s a freshman – separated by 2.5 years in age. I can still picture the classroom. The back corner of the school – windows on two sides of the room. High tables built for 2 people. Fish tanks, projects galore and kids running around before class starts. A normal morning in the classroom in 1995 and I noticed Jeana and another girl running around in the back of class. I can’t remember if we interacted – but her image stayed with me. Skinny like me, long brown hair and very pretty. But it also struck me – she’s a freshman – I’m a senior – this isn’t “socially” acceptable.

It would be years before our first date.

FFA is the reason we met that first day in Mr Pile’s Ag Science classroom and it would connect us in so many ways that first year (1995, me a senior, her a freshman) – fairs showing animals, state FFA convention in Pullman, WA and just day to day in that classroom. There was proximity but not much interaction. Regardless – for both of us the context of our time in FFA created such a bright spot in both Jeana and I’s life.

The years after I graduated high school and began attending WSU our lives were quite separate. Maybe a visit back to Sumner to say hello to Mr. Pile. Jeana and I’s paths would cross – but only in passing. Jeana and I wouldn’t really see each other again until she started school at WSU in 1999.

What’s really fun is picturing what us two young adults were like in college and how we reconnected.

The only reason I applied to WSU was because a group of FFA friends were applying one day in the Ag Science classroom and were kind enough to show me how. So studious – no. I got lucky because of proximity. It became clear I was lucky again deciding to join a bunch of Sumner guys by joining FarmHouse (let’s say duct tape applied with love and support helped me turn the corner).

A smart mouthed, distracted, lots of potential, loved bird hunting, happy to be away from home 18 year old – would turn into someone passionate about agriculture. Someone who didn’t grow up on a farm – but jumped into agriculture and learned to study instead of skipping class to go hunting. I’d be joined by my best friend and lifelong friend Josh, and we created amazing memories, evolving into men our major professor (Dr. Ray Folwell) actually admitted respecting. I graduated in 2000 with my B.S. in Agricultural economics (a 3.1 – .02 higher than high school) and then my M.S. in Crop Science in 2004. Not that GPA matters it’s indicative of an evolution supported by “proximity” to great young men. Going from a semester of A-B-C-D-F to a pat on the back and a letter preferring removal – to graduation. In other words – I was the “rough” around the edges kid (I evolved).

On the other hand, Jeana was entering having placed at FFA Nationals multiple times, Daffodil Queen and a multi-sport and valedictorian (yin and yang, opposites attract). She entered college pre vet before moving to Pharmacy. Studious, responsible, focused and fun. Long hours at the library were rewarded with swing dance sessions at all our favorite spot in Idaho – “The Beach”. Liked and supported from the beginning Jeana was on a solid track. Jeana didn’t join the greek system like I did, but found some great gals to move in with and continued to surround herself with some amazing women in pharmacy. What really stands out to me is how hard she worked – she’s crazy good at high level math and chemistry. Even then, her loving kindness (she really cares for others) and fire for excellence were obvious.

Although our paths crossed time and again during our college years, we didn’t reconnect until I was out of college. Having gone to work for Syngenta in 2002 and landing in Moses Lake, WA. There was a saying – “There’s a beautiful girl behind every tree in Moses Lake.” If you’ve ever been there – there’s simply no trees in Moses Lake. So that meant my social life, friends and prospects for finding a “girl” were still back in Pullman. One fateful fall weekend – I loaded up my gorgeous company pick up and headed to the FarmHouse raft trip in Riggins, ID. We built bonfires on the white sandy beach, listened to loud music, drank plenty of Busch Light and slept under the stars.

The first night, standing by the fire having a blast, this pretty young lady – Jeana – was all of the sudden standing next to me. Surprised and delighted, I asked where her boyfriend was (back story – I had asked her out over the phone a year prior – only to find out she had a boyfriend). When Jeana said she didn’t have a boyfriend – I immediately replied “Oh, really, well then can I ask you out right now? Can I take you on a date?” – her answer – “you can ask me again in the morning when you haven’t had so much to drink.” Shocked, impressed – and fair. And also – game on – because I like to wake up early.

As I woke up super early the next morning. The waiting game began. Waiting for her to wake up!! It was like torture – because tradition would have it, we’d wake up and all have a beer. I wanted there to be no doubt in Jeana’s mind about my sincerity of asking her out. It felt like an eternity as everyone else had a beer and at the same time I wasn’t going to tell everyone what I was doing. But, she obviously said yes, and we were inseparable that day on the river – and ever since.

We’re now entering our 21^st year of marriage. Yes, we did go on that first date – to a Cougar football game with my late and beloved stepdad Bob and my brother Cody. Jeana and I both became more focused on what we wanted in a relationship and were very future focused – we were married 2.5 years later in 2005. Of course, she went on to be an amazing pharmacist, and I went on to chase experience in a career with Syngenta. 4 states, 8 houses together and a love for farming and wine stuck with us. Heck, maybe the real seeds for Chelan Valley Farms and Lagriōth winery were cemented in place at our wine party with great friends in 2009 in Collierville, TN. Needless to say… the story of how we chose Chelan is up next.

Thank you for letting me share this story with you. It was a total accident that this “love story” ended up being shared on Valentines Eve. Happy Valentines Day everyone. My your heart be full of love.