Washington State University officially announces the names of two new sweet cherry varieties, Rainier and Chinook, during the August 1960 Tree Fruits Field Day at the university’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (then called Irrigation Experiment Station) in Prosser. These cherries were bred at the station by horticulturist Harold W. Fogle, who worked with the university and the United States Department of Agriculture.  As described in the story: “Rainier could fill the need for a light cherry for the fresh market. It holds its quality well for several days after harvest. The rose-tinted yellow cherry is also suitable for […]