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FeedCherry Institute recognizes service to industry
John Carter of The Dalles, Oregon is the 2010 Cherry King.
John Carter
Melissa Hansen
The Dalles, Oregon, cherry grower John Carter was named 2010 Cherry King during the annual Cherry Institute meeting held in Yakima, Washington. Carter was the 67th king to be crowned by the Institute.
Rick Derrey, who presented the award, said that Carter’s interest and involvement in cherry research is legendary. Carter has been credited for helping restart the cherry breeding program of Washington State University and has been an advocate for the cherry rootstock program at Michigan State University.
Carter moved from southern California to The Dalles in the mid-1970s after purchasing an 80-acre cherry orchard. With an engineering background, the novice farmer watched his neighbors, sought advice from extension agents, and applied his science training to fruit production. Today, he farms 350 acres of cherries and apples.
In receiving the award, Carter thanked two past Cherry Kings, Don Bailey and George (Bud) Stadelman, Sr., for their help in his early cherry years. He reminisced about his first delivery of cherries to Orchard View Farms’ packing house. “It was a mix of Bings, Black Republics, Vans, and maybe a few Royal Anns,” Carter said. “It was all just cherries to me, but Bud pulled me aside and told me it was supposed to be a ‘Bing’ delivery.”
Carter has been active in many industry organizations, including the Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission, the commission’s research committee, the Oregon Cherry Growers Cooperative, and National Cherry Growers and Industries Foundation, Oregon Horticultural Society, to name a few.
He was awarded Grower of the Year by the Good Fruit Grower in December during the Washington State Horticultural Association’s annual meeting.
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