The first official estimate of the 2009 Northwest sweet cherry crop was a record 16 million boxes, which would be a significant jump from last year’s crop. As the season got under way, reports from horticulturists indicated that it could be as large as 18 million. Representatives of the five Northwest cherry states compiled the estimate at their May 14 meeting. With the season running late because of cool spring weather, some trees were still in bloom, making forecasting the crop accurately a challenge. “It’s going to, at best, be a dart throw,” commented B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry […]