Nichols family honored for good grapes

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, April 5, 2008

Jay Hardenburg, National Grape Cooperative, left, presents the Donald Crowe Memorial Award to Dave,
Jeanette and Andrew Nichols at the Regional Extension Grape Conference held at SUNY Fredonia.

As the Town of Lewiston plans for its future, integrating new housing and agriculture-based industries, one area family has earned recognition for its past endeavors in support of farming, most notably the grape industry.

David C., Jeanette and Andrew Nichols, of 1906 Ridge Road, were honored recently with the Donald Crowe Memorial Award, presented by the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension at the 15th annual Grape Grower Conference at SUNY-Fredonia on March 26.

The “Person of the Year” award is presented to those who give exceptional service and volunteer for the educational program of the grape industry.

As a lay-leader organization, Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Lake Erie Grape Advisory Committee has benefited for at least 40 years from the committee support in various capacities by David Nichols, which often entailed his traveling to Fredonia.

His wife, Jeanette, and son Andrew have been involved in the 250-acre farm business providing family labor and management assistance – often in his absence due to his leadership responsibilities.

David Nichols has been involved for 31 years as a member of the National Grape Cooperative, where he served as a director from 1998-2002 and as a delegate for various other periods of time. He has served as vice-president of the Western New York Cherry Producers Co-operative Inc. and as a director of the state Cherry Growers Association. He is a past director of the Niagara County Farm Bureau and a member of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Niagara County. He was also the past chairman of the Town of Lewiston Assessment and Review Board.

The Nichols farm consists of 45 acres of Concord grapes, and 51 acres of Niagara grapes, which are contracted with National Grape Cooperative. The farm also has 46 acres of tart cherries.

Jeanette Nichols, a former schoolteacher, is often involved in tying grape vines for the new growing season. Their son, Andrew, is a sixth generation farmer in Niagara County.