American Fruit Grower picks Edneyville's Barnwell as its East Region Apple Grower of the Year

Although he grew up in a family that owned and operated an orchard, being an apple grower is the last thing Ednevyille's Kenny Barnwell thought he'd ever be.

Now, the fifth-generation apple grower, who owns Kenny Barnwell Orchard in Hendersonville, has been recognized as one of the best apple growers in the nation. American Fruit Grower Magazine recently published its annual Apple Growers of the Year, and Barnwell was the top pick for the East Region. 

"I was in the orchard when I got the call that I had won. I felt very gratified that a lot of the work that we had put in, that they recognized that there's a lot more to growing apples than just growing apples," the 1976 Edneyville High graduate said. "It's a process. You have to be out involved in a lot of other things than just the actual production of the fruit."

Barnwell, 63, said he earned a degree in chemistry and a degree in biology in college, but in between his junior and senior year of college, he said he felt like he needed to go in a different direction.

He's glad he did.

"At that time, I really hadn't settled into what I wanted to do. After doing some interviews, I decided I wasn't going to be happy inside in a lab or in an office," he said.

Barnwell said he's never lived more than 200 yards from an apple orchard, except for the four years he was in college.

"Riding around with grandpaw, driving him around in the orchard and getting to see what we've been involved in just meant everything to me," he said. "On the Barnwell side of the business, I know they planted trees here in the early 1900s, and on the Laughter side, I think those were first planted in the late 1800s."

He took over the family orchard in 1989 and has kept it going strong since. His orchard supplies apples for Gerber baby food and also to Peterson's, which provides apple slices to McDonald's, he said.

"I sell some to a local packing house here, and those end up in Walmart or Ingles. I sell others for the apple squeeze packs that are in stores, and I sold some just last week that are going to Michigan, which will make those small applesauce packs. 

"I also supply a lot of local fruit stands. I pre-size and pre-grade their apples, so when they get them from me, they're buying apples that are ready to go on the shelf."

While Barnwell does love the production and the business side of the orchard, he's also very passionate about seeing that all farmers are treated fairly by the government. He's actively involved in several committees, advocating for farmers' rights. He's a 21-year member of the N.C. Apple Growers Association and has served three terms as president.

In addition, he's the current chairman of the Henderson County Agricultural Advisory Committee and is the founding member of the Agribusiness Henderson County. He's also a member of the USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee (Henderson, Polk, Transylvania counties), “Friends of the Commissioner” group with North Carolina Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler and the U.S. Apple Association Scientific Advisory Committee.

In a recent article in American Fruit Grower Magazine, Mark Williams, who is the Executive Director of Agribusiness Henderson County, said Barnwell voluntarily contributes countless hours as one of the strongest advocates for the apple industry and ag-related operations.

“I’ve personally known him for over 30 years and have sat in at least a thousand ag-related meetings with him during that time, Kenny has the respect, admiration, and appreciation of all who know him," Williams said.

Barnwell said if it wasn't for his staff, he wouldn't be able to go out and campaign for growers' rights.

"I'm very fortunate. I've got some good people working for me to let me go and serve on these committees and to take time away from the farm to try to work on policy, from Henderson County, to Raleigh to D.C. I've spent a lot of time with a lot of these politicians, trying to affect what's best for agriculture," he said.

American Fruit Grower Magazine chose Dave Gleason of Yakima, Washington as the nation's Apple Grower of the Year. The last grower from North Carolina to receive that award was Hendersonville's Greg Nix back in 2001. Founded in 1880, American Fruit Grower magazine is a national publication that reaches producers, shippers and other influencers who serve the fresh and processing markets for deciduous fruits, citrus, grapes, berries and nuts.