PVGA Life Member – Robert Black

PVGA Life Member – Robert Black

Robert Black of Thurmont, Maryland, is a second generation farmer who always wanted to be a farmer and currently farms in partnership with his sister as Catoctin Mountain Orchard.  They have the third and fourth generation of their family working with them on their family’s 100-acre fruit and vegetable farm.  They grow a wide variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, kale, cabbage, squash, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, cantaloupes, and eggplant.  At a quarter acre, they are the largest rhubarb grower in their state.  They also have two greenhouses to grow tomatoes and a large variety of leafy greens for their large successful farm market and bakery.  Oh, they also grow a few apples, peaches, plums, apricots, pears and berries.

Besides farming, Bob has been and is currently on numerous boards in the fruit/vegetable industry.  Black has served for many years as the treasurer of the Maryland State Horticultural Society. We’ve been told that if he can get his name in the paper or his face on TV, he’ll do it at the drop of a dime.  His nickname is Johnny PR.

The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention has become one of the premier grower meetings in the nation.  The Convention is one of major ways that our Association is able to fulfill one of our key missions of providing educational opportunities for our members.  This PVGA member has served on the Convention Joint Committee for many, many years as a representative of the Maryland State Horticultural Society and has traveled hundreds of miles to attend scores of meetings to help make this Convention the success it is and thus, indirectly, serving his fellow PVGA members.  In addition, he been a leader in helping both the fruit and vegetable industries deal with the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.

In recognition of this service to the Association and its members, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association is pleased to present Robert Black with a life membership in the Association.

2/2017