Jeanette Smith named VVA Grower of the Year

Jeanette Smith has been named Grower of the Year for 2011. The award was announced by VVA president Bill Tonkins at the Winter Technical Meeting, and presented by Virginia Secretary of Agriculture, Todd Haymore.

Since 2005 The Virginia Vineyards Association has been pleased to honor one of its peers with The Grower of The Year Award. The criteria are: the nominee must be an active member of the Virginia Vineyards Association with at least seven years experience managing or operating a commercial vineyard of at least 5 acres. The nominee must be an active participant in the Virginia viticulture community with a track record of service to our industry. And last but not least, the nominee must have the respect of his or her peers. Jeanette exceeds these requirements and then some.

Jeanette Smith began working in Virginia vineyards in 1981 while studying horticulture at Virginia Tech. She received her bachelor’s degree in 1983. She since has been involved in planting, management and maintenance of vineyards in New York, North Carolina but primarily in Virginia. Her viticulture experience has run the gamut from vineyard laborer, manager, agricultural extension agent, consultant and sales agent for a major east coast agricultural chemical company. Jeanette has been education and research committee chair for the Virginia Vineyards Association as well as a member of the Virginia Wine Advisory Board. Many growers in Virginia and throughout the east coast and beyond may know her best as the brains behind VineSmith Vineyard Services. Each year she publishes and sells her Vineyard Pest Management Tool Kit which gives growers updated, at your finger tips, information regarding the latest in fungicide, insecticide and herbicide chemical information. There are probably very few vineyards in Virginia, and up and down the east coast, where you can’t find this invaluable management tool tacked to the wall of the vineyard manager’s office.

Jeanette currently lives in Shenandoah County, operates her own vineyard, runs VineSmith incorporated, and still finds time to consult for a number of vineyards throughout the state. You can often find her out in the vines somewhere with her trusty companion and completely spoiled beagle, Libby. She has also taken on the daunting challenge of cleaning and storing the Virginia Vineyards Association’s wine glasses for the last two years.

Congratulations Jeanette! Thank You for all you have done for our industry and we look forward to your continued success!