On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (KLSWCD) held its annual awards banquet at the North Nobleboro Community Building, where it has been held for more than 40 years.

In addition to dinner, the evening agenda included highlights of conservation education and practices in Knox and Lincoln counties, presentation of conservation awards, and a guest speaker, Bill Eldridge, CEO of Maine’s Own Organic Milk Company (MOOMilk).

This year more than 50 people gathered to enjoy a homemade meal of smothered beef or baked stuffed winter squash (and as much pie of as many varieties as one could eat) and celebrate the conservation accomplishments of friends and neighbors. The district thanked and recognized the following individuals for their contributions while a slideshow of their achievements provided a backdrop:

Knox-Lincoln Cooperator of the Year: Reba Richardson and Bill Pluecker of Hatchet Cove Farm, a MOFGA-certified organic family farm in Warren, were recognized as the 2013 Cooperator of the Year. The couple in their 10th year of farming, have six acres of land in diversified vegetable production and distribute fresh, healthy vegetables through summer and fall CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture programs) and local coops.

The Richardsons have worked to reduce soil erosion and protect water quality on their 110-acre farm with NRCS funding and technical assistance for two projects: the installation of drainage and culverts to prevent the driveway from channeling run-off from the fields, the installation of a heavy use area adjacent to the barn, which allows them to manage nutrients and compost manure from their five cows and other livestock.

Soil Health: Jan Goranson and Rob Johanson of Goranson Farm in Dresden were honored with this award for their efforts in employing natural soil-building practices to “grow” nitrogen, instead of buying in and applying amendments. Goranson and Johanson have 60 acres under cultivation, 30 acres in diversified organic vegetable crops and 30 acres in soil-building rotation cover crops and green manures.

Johanson has been experimenting with zone tillage, a form of modified tillage in which only narrow strips are tilled, leaving soil in between the rows untilled, since 2007 and commented that he would never go back to plowing. Goranson Farm was recognized as Knox-Lincoln Cooperator of the Year in 2004.

On-Farm Energy Efficiency: Nancy Williams and Al Maloney of NEWAIM Farm in Waldoboro breed and sell California Variegated Mutant Romeldale sheep, and operate NEWAIM Fiber Mill, which specializes in custom processing of raw fiber into roving and yarn. They were recognized for installing photovoltaic and solar hot water systems that supply all of the electricity and 2/3 of the propane to operate the fiber mill. The PV system, with a payback of 7 years, reduced carbon emissions from electricity generation by 132,000 pounds in 2013 alone.

Logger of the Year: Henry Oliver of Nobleboro received this year’s forestry award. Henry was recognized for his careful and professional timber harvesting practices, which help to conserve wildlife, soil, water and other forest resources while at the same time helping woodland owners achieve management goals. Whether working on his own or with a forester, Oliver’s work exemplifies keen attention to natural resources, whether by selecting trees or preventing erosion and sedimentation.

Knox-Lincoln Conservation Teacher of the Year: Madelon Kelly of Washington has been a math, biology, chemistry, physics and environmental and marine science teacher for more than 20 years. She coaches the gold-level MathCounts coach team at Medomak Middle School and, three years ago, she initiated and now leads a Science Olympiad Team.

This spring that team won the state championship and raised money to travel and compete at the nationals in Ohio. Kelly is the kind of teacher who arrives early, leaves late, looks for the good in all of her students and works to prepare them for success providing them with as many opportunities as possible.

District Volunteer of the Year: Jessica Sewall of Round Pond was recognized for her contribution of more than 120 volunteer hours to the district through a summer internship that was a requirement of her degree in Environmental Science from the University of Southern Maine.

Sewall assisted district staff at our plant sale, designed plant ID signs for the District’s new Pollinator Garden, learned about erosion and sediment control by accompanying staff on site evaluations and a Lake Smart training, and spent many thankless hours on database updates. She did all of this with great capability — and always with a smile.

Several other presentations marked the evening. Mark Hedrich, chairman of the KLSWCD Board of Supervisors, welcomed the crowd and emphasized the efforts and accomplishments of the District in bringing an increased awareness of conservation needs and practices to the two-county region. He reminded the audience that with climate change, population changes, and increased development at home and in less developed countries, the need is greater than ever for conservation education and practices on a global and local scale.

Slide presentations by USDA-NRCS District Conservationists Peter Abello (Lincoln/Kennebec counties) and Autumn Birt (Knox/Waldo counties) showcased conservation practices on Knox and Lincoln county farms made possible by USDA funds. In 2013, close to $500,000 was obligated for 51 projects and practices including high tunnels, efficient irrigation systems, transitions to organic, blueberry land rock removal, and Conservation Action Plans in Knox and Lincoln counties.

District staff Rebecca Jacobs and Hildy Ellis focused their presentations on district education, outreach and fundraising efforts.

A small sample of these efforts includes engaging more than 1000 Knox-Lincoln elementary and middle school children over the past year; developing new partnerships with organizations and businesses, including The First, NA in Rockland, which exhibited student-drawn conservation posters; working with DEP to conduct erosion control trainings and certify close to 100 contractors for work in the shoreland zone; and providing technical assistance to local landowners on erosion control and buffer plantings.

In addition, the Conservation Landscaping Series and the Spring Plant Sale and Fair provided $15,000 worth of edible and conservation plants (and information on how to care for them) to more than 300 residents; our informative website, www.knox-lincoln.org, continues to grow and reach an average of 1,200 unique visitors/month; and we have begun to install our new Pollinator Garden in collaboration with Warren Girl Scout Troops 1283 and 1820 and donations of time or materials from Floor Magic, Ober & Barrett Builders and Green Thumb.

The evening concluded with our dynamic guest speaker, Bill Eldridge, CEO of MOOMilk. Eldridge held the audience in thrall with the history of this organic dairy start-up that began when a national dairy processor “dropped” 10 organic diary farmers in northern and eastern Maine in 2009.

Rather than give up farming, these 10 farmers joined forces with a handful of supportive, community-focused investors to try and preserve their traditional dairy heritage and, in 2010, MOOMilk was born. It has not been an easy haul, but MOOMilk now numbers 12 farms and can be found in Hannaford, Whole Foods, and many smaller groceries and markets throughout the Northeast.

The company measures its success, not by corporate profits, but by how many small organic dairy farms it can save, bring into being, and support by building a strong local market for fresh, organic dairy products.

Knox-Lincoln SWCD extends our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in making this such an enriching evening: the awards recipients and all who attended to honor them, NRCS staff, district volunteers, state legislators, the “kitchen crew,” and the following farms and businesses for contributing door prizes: Agricola Farm (Union), Ames True Value (Wiscasset), Goranson Farm (Dresden), MOOMilk, NEWAIM Farm (Waldoboro), Rankin’s Hardware (Camden), Spear Farm (Nobleboro), and Warren True Value (Warren).

Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

For more information about programs, visit www.knox-lincoln.org or 893 West Street (Route 90) in Rockport, call 207-596-2040, or email info@knox-lincoln.org.