The Washington Apple Education Foundation awarded 318 scholarships to students this year. Of the 318 scholarships, 218 were awarded to renewing students and 100 new students were welcomed to the WAEF family. These scholarships represent over $1 million sponsored by the tree fruit industry through various fundraisers, in memory of industry leaders and friends, and annual donations.

On Saturday, May 7, Stemilt Growers celebrated the 2022 Apple Blossom Festival Stemilt Grand Parade. Fourth-generation cherry grower Kyle Mathison was decked out in his signature overalls on a 1926 Ford Model-T and Stemilt President West Mathison was at the wheel of the classic Stemilt Volkswagen Ladybug.

The Apple Blossom Festival is a beloved spring event celebrated by many Washingtonians and the Wenatchee Valley community.

Sage Fruit Co. will partner with Chelan Fruit beginning with the 2022 cherry season. Chelan Fruit joins the Sage Fruit family of grower-packer-shippers to enhance the marketing, sales and distribution of Washington-grown tree fruit. Through this new partnership, Sage Fruit will add considerable volume of conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries to their manifest.

The Washington Apple Education Foundation scholarship application is currently open and available to students raised in tree fruit industry families with plans to attend college in the fall of 2022.  Annually, WAEF awards over $1 million in scholarships on behalf of Washington’s tree fruit growers, packers, shippers and suppliers to college-bound and college-enrolled students.  The application must be submitted in its entirety by March 1 for consideration.

After leading the Washington Apple Education Foundation as its executive director for 20 years, Jennifer Witherbee has announced her intent to step down at the end of March 2022.  

Stemilt’s Fast Facts are back and the cast starts their fall return by analyzing the last eight weeks of Nielsen retail scan data ending Oct. 4. Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales and Communications Manager Katie Harmon report the latest apple trends as well as provide insight on how to prep for Cosmic Crisp’s arrival in a few short weeks.