History of NJHA

NJHA began as NJVGA (the National Junior Vegetable Growers Association) in 1935 by four leaders in the U.S. vegetable industry:  Grant Snyder, Howard Brown, Arthur Pratt, and Owen Trask.  The initial purpose of the program was to stimulate and encourage interest and appreciation among young people in the business of growing and handling vegetables.  Thus, a vegetable judging, identification, and grading contest was organized and scheduled as a youth activity during the 1935 annual meeting of the Vegetable Growers Association of America in Hartford, Conn. Seventy-four young members from Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut participated. The program “The Junior Judging Identification and Grading Contest”, was a 1 day event, and consisted of vegetable judging, variety type identification, and a potato grading contest. Variety identification involved identifying 50 specimens which consisted of 5 varieties of cucumbers, 8 different varieties of squash, 4 of peppers and cabbages, just to name a few. In the potato grading contest, the individual contestant was given a 20-lb. bag of potatoes and would grade the potatoes according to U.S. Standards with a time factor. Talk about fun!

From the start, the program grew to include trips to vegetable farms, warehouses and city markets and other points of interest.  The general program also included movies and lectures.  In 1941, the convention was increased to a 4-day event.  

In 1964, the present name was adopted to reflect NJHA’s interest in flowering plants, fruits and nuts, ornamental plants, and turfgrass.  The revision to include all horticultural crops broadened the scope of the organization and enabled a much wider range of youth to become involved and interested in the activities and projects. 

The goals of NJHA are much the same as when the organization first began.

1. To promote and sponsor educational programs for youth through a variety of projects and activities that foster a better understanding of horticulture.
2. To develop good citizens with a basic understanding of nature and an acceptance of responsibility for the environment in which we live.
3. To acquaint youth with the many and varied career opportunities, both vocational and professional, available in the horticulture industry
4. To provide young people and their adult leaders with new experiences in group participation, cooperation, and leadership at the national level.

1984 - 2009 NJHA HISTORY

In October of 2009, NJHA celebrated its 75th anniversary in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Past alumni had attended in which we had an alumni reception and a special alumni recognition banquet on Saturday night with live band performing after the banquet. Tours for this convention included Milton Hershey School, Longwood Gardens, State Capitol Building, and all delegates attended the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater.

Events and changes for NJHA in the past 25 years were: The corporate name changed to NJHF and in 1989 the third division of the Poster Contest was added for special needs youth. The founder of NJHA, Grant B. Snyder passed away in 1991. The NJHA creed was changed ending will read as "We are the NJHA, and we accept the challenges of being the horticultural leaders of tomorrow".

In 1997, Mona Ray was appointed as Historian and in 1999, Joe Maxson retired as Executive Secretary with Carole Carney becoming the new Executive Secretary. William Fountain retired and Amy Greenamyer assumed the position of Awards Chair. Paul Hartman retired from Young America Garden contest and 1999 was the year for Cindy Waldman to serve as advisor. Connie F. Bruner served as co advisor with Cindy and was appointed as Advisor in 2001 with Annette Meyer serving as Co-Advisor.

In 2000, the web site for NJHA was developed in North Carolina and G & G newsletters were mailed with bulk rates. Mike Rethwisch was appointed National Program Chair. In 2001, the Going and Growing was placed on the web site.

In 2004, convention dates changed to the Friday before Columbus Day in October. Clare Harnden passed away. Wib Justi turned historian duties over to Mona Ray on the archives. Wib was also inducted into the Ohio State Agricultural Hall of Fame and the NJHA Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Mona Ray retired from Historian for the archives and Wib Justi assumed responsibilities as Historian Emeritus with Carole Carney as Co Historian. Susan Beebe was appointed Secretary of the NJHF Board. The need for state leaders to certify participation in project areas with exception of the 4-H ID team contest was eliminated. Certification would be accepted by parent, leader or a qualified person. All project due dates were changed to September 15th. Deb Gegare was appointed Co Advisor for the NJHA officer team along with Mike Ensor.

In February of 2008, the Archives of NJHA were moved from Alexandria, Virginia to the Executive Secretary's home in Pennsylvania.

In October of 2009, Carole Carney was appointed Historian for the NJHA Archives.

A Personal Look at Grant Snyder

Grant Snyder has been associated with NJHA since 1935 when he organized and conducted the first Judging Contest as part of the program of the Vegetable Growers Association of America.  He was responsible to conduct the administrative work of the Association and Foundation during the early years, however he was the first to specify that the development of NJGVA/NJHA to its present place as a recognized and respected youth organization was only possible because of the interest, help and hard work of many, many people.

NJVGA/NJHA offered to Professor Snyder that extra something that spices life and gives a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.  The long hours of hard work, the worries, the problems, the responsibility to obtain financial support have been more than counter-balanced by watching the development and achievements of members and by the opportunity to work with so many, wonderful men and women in all sections of the nation.

Grant Snyder was born and raised on a vegetable farm in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada where he was first introduced into the many complex problems involved in growing and marketing.  As a youngster he was inquisitive and studious.  He wanted to know why – and – what made plants grow and what factors were involved in determining quality vegetables.

After high school he entered the Ontario Agricultural College, at that time a unit of Toronto University from which he received his BSA degree in 1922.  His Master’s degree was awarded at Michigan State University in 1931.  In 1922 he was appointed instructor in Olericulture at the Massachusetts Agricultural College.  He became professor in 1935 and head of the Olericulture Section.  He was named head of the Department of Horticulture in 1961.

His desire for research and experimentation, his family’s quiet life was often turned into turmoil by some of his more spectacular projects.

Professor Snyder was one of the first scientists to conduct research on icing sweet corn and in prepackaging vegetables.  He was a pioneer in the early thirties in organizing and conducting schools for retailers in the proper handling and merchandizing of produce.  His research on the effect of hail damage to crop plants by the use of a hall machine has been widely used in the more effect adjustment of losses caused by hail.

He was part of the small team that organized the Massachusetts Federation of Vegetable growers, the Connecticut Valley Produce Growers and the Agricultural Committee of the Pioneer Valley Association.  Numerous other local and state organizations have had his help with production and marketing problems of vegetable crops.  Over the years he has published many bulletins and features in trade journals.

Professor Snyder was probably best known for his work with the National Junior Vegetable Growers Association.  During these years many thousands of young people from all sections of the nation have participated in the educational projects sponsored by the Association.  A very high percentage of these youth have now attained prominence as leaders in the horticultural field, in government, industry, research, teaching and extension work. For his outstanding work with the young people and his leadership in horticulture programs he was the first recipient of the Kelsey Award from the Vegetable Growers Association of America.  He was an honorary FFA State Farmer, and has received numerous awards from local and national organizations, including the National Canners Association and the USDA.  He is listed in Who’s Who in the East.  He was a member of the Boston Market Gardeners Association, the Vegetable Growers Association of America, the American Society of Horticultural Science, the Photographic Society of America and Phi Fau Sigma.  He was a member of the North Amherst Congregational Church.

Professor Snyder found time for his hobbies among which was refinishing antique furniture and in taking care of his colonial home in Amherst and farm in the hills of Vermont.
He and Mrs. Snyder, the former Ruth Putnam of a very famous Colonial New England family, have three children, Dr. Richard Gerald Snyder, David Grant Snyder and Catherine Louise Parker.

Click here for Historic Pictures of the NJHA