The ‘Young Grower of the Year’ awards had a special meaning to our region this year. Jono Sutton, 26, of Edens Road Fruit Ltd, Hope, was the first local to win the main competition.
“This is one of horticulture’s highest achievements for a young person, so winning it is massive,” says Jono. “To be the first Nelsonian to win was pretty cool and I’m pretty excited about that,” he says.
He grows six different varieties of apples and boysenberries at a property on Eden Road. “We aim to produce 50 thousand cartons of apples and 400-500 tons of boysenberries a year,” he says.
To win the ‘Young Grower of the Year’ he was tested on practical and theoretical elements, such as pest and disease, irrigation, Excel spreadsheeting, tractor driving, business insurance and he had to deliver a speech. The winner was the person who received the most points across all the different modules.
“I’ve competed in the national event once before, in 2013. It was a long time ago. After six more years in the industry, I’ve learned a lot, especially around the business and management areas. I had a pretty good knowledge of most of the practical tasks then, but some of those business areas I’m a bit more familiarized with now,” says Jono. He proved his impressive skills and knowledge throughout the competition.
As the regional Nelson finalist, he was up against six other contestants from around New Zealand, in Tauranga. Two of Jono’s grandparents, who are also berry and apple growers, were there to support him. “I left school when I was 17 and went full-time orcharding. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. It was always a family thing and I always enjoyed it,” he says.