Top vegetable grower honored

By JENNIFER COLTON/ jcolton@indexjournal.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009 12:51 AM EDT

When the Emerald City Rotary Club was chartered in 1982, one of its first projects was to recognize the Vegetable Grower of the Year at the Greenwood Farmers Market. The civic organization continued that tradition Wednesday, presenting the 2008 Vegetable Grower of the Year award to Bobby Smith, an Abbeville County farmer who has been a strong vendor and producer with the Greenwood Farmers Market for more than 15 years.

A former educator in the Abbeville County School District, Smith farms 55 acres in Abbeville County -- including more than 4 acres of vegetables with help from his brother, son and wife. The family produces squash, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, corn okra and various melon crops each year.

“Bobby, like many market vendors, has worked full time plus farmed on the side. After spending 38 years plus as a school teacher and principal in the Abbeville school system, he retired in 1995.

Since that time, he has increased his vegetable production and helped the Greenwood market to stay filled with fresh produce,” Rotary Club President Joe Langley said.Smith accepted the award and thanked the Emerald City Rotary Club for sponsoring the honor and the Greenwood Farmers Market Board and staff for providing growers the opportunity to sell.