Elk Conservation District (ECD) recognized farmers, supervisors, teachers, and students within their four-county district for exemplary commitment and achievement in conservation for this year. Several organizations were represented there including Legislative Delegate Brent Boggs, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), West Virginia Association of Districts (WVACD), and the WVU Extension Service.
Suzy Daubert of the NRCS spoke about the programs available through NRCS. Wayne McKeever, president of the WVACD and Chairman of the Envirothon addressed the guests.
ECD presented Linda Brown of Stone Run Farms with the 2021 Conservation Farm for Braxton County. The recipient for Clay County was Mike Sizemore of Sizemore Greenhouses LLC. Mikel Grose of ML Grose Farms was the awardee from Nicholas County. Clyde “Danny” Sink of Sink Farms was selected for Webster County.
Century Farm for 2021 was presented to the Nettles Farm located in Servia, Braxton County. The West Virginia Century Farm Program is designed to recognize those families who have been farming the same tract of land for at least 100 years. A Century Farm is one that has been in continuous operation by the same family for at least 100 years. A family member must have lived on the farm or must have been an integral part of the day-to-day operation of the farm enterprise. The farm must consist of at least 10 acres of the original holdings and gross more than $1,000 annually from farm products. Line of ownership from the first family member owning the land may be through wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces.
Perfect Attendance awards were earned by several of the ECD Supervisors, including Larry Greynolds of Nicholas County, Clark Mollohan of Webster County and Mike Smalley of Webster County. These are supervisors that have not missed a board meeting in a 1-year period.
The ECD/WVACD Honorary Member Nominee was presented to Supervisor Ken Stowers in honor of his contribution to conservation.
The Rookie of the year award was received by Larry Greynolds. This award is designed to recognize outstanding and exemplary first time, (Rookie) Conservation District Supervisor achievements and leadership in the protection and enhancement of West Virginia soil and water resources
The Carrol Greene Award was received by ECD Board Chairman Clark Mollohan. The Carrol Greene award is presented to a supervisor that meritoriously exceeded the job requirements of a supervisor.
A picture can be worth a thousand words. Good photographs can lend a helping hand to numerous projects: they strengthen publicity for a fund-raiser, make a newsletter more appealing, and reveal the beauty of wetlands to elementary students. To recognize individuals who use this tool effectively and creatively, the West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts (WVACD) sponsored its annual Conservation Photo Contest. Kaitlyn Hanshaw of Nicholas County not only won 1st place for the Elk District but also captured a 3rd place ribbon on the state level.
ECD would like to thank everyone who had the opportunity to attend this year.
