Fryhover: 'The apple industry deserves a little bit of recognition'

By DAN WHEAT

Capital Press

YAKIMA, Wash. -- The U.S. Postal Service has released four stamps depicting apple varieties.

The release was to take place during a ceremony at the Yakima Post Office Jan. 17. Central Washington produces the most apples in the nation.

The stamps are 33-cent postcard stamps and show the Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, both grown extensively in Central Washington, and the bright-red Baldwin apple, thought to be native to Massachusetts. The fourth is the Northern Spy, known for dessert baking, cider and juice.

"It's kind of cool," said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission in Wenatchee.

"The apple industry deserves a little bit of recognition. It provides a lot of jobs, pays a lot of taxes and provides a lot of opportunities for Eastern Washington," he said.

The Golden Delicious was chosen as West Virginia's state fruit in 1995. It long was second only to Red Delicious in Washington state production before being overtaken by Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith.

The stamps were designed by Derry Noyes and feature the artwork of John Burgoyne, according to the Postal Service.

The stamps were done with pen, ink, watercolor and some detail work by computer.