Scott Catalogue numbers:

5004 (49¢) Summer Harvest – Watermelon
5005 (49¢) Summer Harvest – Sweet corn
5006 (49¢) Summer Harvest – Cantaloupes
5007 (49¢) Summer Harvest – Tomatoes
a. Block of 4, #5004-5007
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5004-5007
c. As “a,” imperforate
d. As “b,” imperforate

Updated July 11th: VSC member Chris Lazaroff attended the first day ceremony and took this photograph. (Used by permission.)

Updated July 10th: Artist/designer Michael Doret talks about the development of these stamp designs in his blog.

Updated June 14th: Details on the first-day ceremony (including how to attend; we’re told the earlier the better):

WHAT: Official First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the Summer Harvest Forever stamps.

WHO:

• U.S. Postal Service Western Area VP Drew Aliperto
• California State Fair CEO Rick Pickering
• California State Railroad Museum Director Paul Hammond
• California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross
• Youth and School Projects, Slow Food Sacramento Director Chef Brenda Ruiz

WHEN: Sat., July 11 @ Noon. (Doors open for media at 10 a.m.)

WHERE:
California State Fair, Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA at “The Farm”
1600 Exposition Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95815

(Please Note: Anyone attending the stamp ceremony will need to purchase a ticket to enter the State Fair. Limited complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis: maximum two tickets per person. To receive complimentary tickets, RSVP by July 1 via email at Nationalsevent@usps.gov. Additional tickets for the fair are available for purchase at the gate or online. Click here for more information.)

BACKGROUND: Every summer, some of America’s favorite foods are in season. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates a few of those favorites — corn, tomatoes, cantaloupes and watermelons — with four new stamps. Vintage produce advertising, including 19th- and early 20th-century crate labels, seed packets and catalogs, inspired these stamp designs. Though not all produce was shipped in wooden crates, the stamp is especially reminiscent of vintage crate labels. Working with an early concept developed by former art director Richard Sheaff, Antonio Alcalá art directed these stamps. Michael Doret was the designer and artist.

About The Farm Presented by Save Mart Supermarkets:
The State Fair Farm is three acres of living proof of the importance of agriculture and food production in California. Guests were able to get a Save Mart Supermarkets recipe passport and learn about more than 70 crops grown in California, taste local culinary delights prepared by chefs at our outdoor kitchen grill, and learn about fish farming by visiting our aquaculture and aquaponics displays. Check out water-efficient gardens sponsored by the Department of Water Resources and get gardening tips from our Master Gardeners booth. Inside our greenhouse, we learned about orchids and careers in horticulture. Guests were able to visit the blacksmith booth, the insect pavilion, Urban Farming to learn about backyards and container gardening, and then watch the kids race in the Kids Pedal Tractor Pull for some good family fun.

About The California State Fair:
For more than 160 years, the California State Fair has showcased the best of the Golden State. During the 2014 State Fair at Cal Expo more than 750,000 people experienced the best and made memories that will last a lifetime. Cal Expo was dedicated as a place to celebrate California’s achievements, industries, agriculture, diversity of its people, traditions and trends that shape the Golden State’s future. The 2015 California State Fair will take place July 10-26.

Updated June 14th: Here are larger versions of the first-day cancels, and their sizes:DCP: 2.18”x 1.37”

B&W: 2.41″ x 1.44″

Updated June 14th:

From the Postal Bulletin June 11th:
On July 11, 2015, in Sacramento, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Summer Harvest stamps (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at 49 cents) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) booklet of 20 stamps (Item 690000).

The stamps will go on sale nationwide July 11, 2015.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates some of America’s favorite summer foods — corn, tomatoes, cantaloupes, and watermelons — with four stunning new stamps. Vintage produce advertising, including 19th and early 20th century crate labels, seed packets, and catalogs, inspired the stamp art. The four stylized labels are all drawn in the same color palette of red, black, green, and yellow-orange. The produce names are in white lettering. Working with an early concept developed by former art director Richard Sheaff, Antonio Alcalá art directed these stamps. Michael Doret was the artist and designer.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Summer Harvest Stamps
Customer Relations Coordinator
2000 Royal Oaks Drive
Sacramento, CA 95815-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by September 9, 2015.

There are seven philatelic products for this stamp issue:

• 690006, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $78.40 (print quantity 250)
• 690008 Press Sheet without Die-cut, $78.40 (print quantity 1,000)
• 690010 Keepsake (Booklet and Digital Color Postmark, set of 4) $16.95
• 690016 First-Day Cover, set of 4, $3.72
• 690021 Digital Color Postmark, set of 4, $6.56
• 690024 Framed Art, $39.95
• 690030 Ceremony Program (random stamp) $ 6.95
• 690031 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Summer Harvest Stamps
Item Number: 690000
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Mail
Format: Booklet
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 11, 2015, Sacramento, CA 95815
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA with Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
Designer: Michael Doret, Hollywood, CA
Typographer: Michael Doret, Hollywood, CA
Artist: Michael Doret, Hollywood, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Mueller A76
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 400,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0..84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.89 mm
Full Booklet Size (w x h): 5.52 x 1.96 in./140.21 x 49.79 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 22.46 x 3.92 in./570.36 x 99.57 mm
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: Header: “SUMMER HARVEST” • 20 First-Class Forever® Stamps • Plate numbers in peel strip area • © 2014 • USPS Logo • Promotional Text

Here are small versions of the two first-day postmarks: Summer Harvest (4)
The concept has been around for awhile, but these are new designs, reminiscent of the labels on fruit crates in the early 20th Century. The artist is Michael Doret. These will be issued in June. The National Topical Stamp Show, which used to be held regularly in June, would seem a natural for the first day ceremony, but that isn’t until July 31-August 2 in Portland, OR.