The Hands Behind the Harvest

The people powering Virginia's vineyards today and the untapped potential of youth for tomorrow

I wrote this story for Edible Blue Ridge’s spring issue. Writing about the H2-A system and wine in general was new for me, but I was up for the challenge. I’m really proud of how varied the sources are in this piece: Juan, an H2-A worker at Ankida Vineyards, Stinson and Cardinal Hill; Christine, the owner of Ankida Vineyards; George Hodson, CEO of Veritas Vineyards and a big name in VA wine; Francoise, owner of Revalation Vineyards and former high school viticulture teacher; folks at Piedmont and Northern Virginia Community Colleges; and government H2-A records. It was really important to me to tell the whole story about wine’s labor issue, including the laborers, employers, and educators.

To read the story, grab a copy of Edible Blue Ridge around town (at the Farmers Market) or check it out below.