Klompen Farms: Family-run hay producer turns decades of know-how into repeat wins — and loyal customers

ROYAL CITY — For nearly four decades, Klompen Farms has been a name synonymous with meticulous haymaking in the Columbia Basin. Co-owner Bob Wieldraayer said he and his family have built an operation on consistency, honesty and a relentless focus on quality — an approach that has earned the farm three “Hay King” titles and a devoted customer base across Western Washington and beyond. “We moved here from Whidbey Island in 1988,” Wieldraayer said. “That’s why we moved out here. We bought a farm.” Diversified to Specialized Klompen Farms began as a diversified farm — timothy and orchard grass, plus a long list of seed crops including carrots, radishes, kale, burdock and peas — and even some wheat. Over the years, Wieldraayer sharpened the focus to a single crop: alfalfa hay. “I guess it’s the direction I wanted to go,” he said. “We could do it all by ourselves, with my wife and my two daughters. We have a customer base over on Whidbey Island that recognizes who we are and what we do — our attention to detail and a quality product, a consistent product.”