Clean Water Farm Awards - Soil and Water Consvervation
March 8, 2011
The Patrick County Soil and Water Conservation District presented Dannie and Kathy Anderson with the 2010 Virginia Clean Water Farm Award.
CAPTION FOR PICTURE:
Pictured left to right is Dannie and Kathy Anderson with Wayne Clark, Patrick SWCD Chairman. Each year, the Patrick Soil and Water Conservation District along with 47 other Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout Virginia and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation are proud to sponsor the Clean Water Farm Award. (Photo by Sandra W. Heath)
The Patrick Soil and Water Conservation District presented Dannie and Kathy Anderson with the 2010 Virginia Clean Water Farm Award. The Clean Water Farm award was established to provide special recognition to farmers who demonstrated a commitment to natural resource conservation through the implementation of best management practices and management of their lands. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation was given lead responsibility for program development and administration and the Department relies upon Soil and Water Conservation Districts to select worthy recipients within their communities.
Dannie and Kathy Anderson own a 160 head beef cattle farm in the Russell Creek Watershed in the Southeastern part of Patrick County. Dannie and Kathy have been practicing rotational grazing for several years now. They understand the value of rotating their cows through their farm to get better grazing utilization.
A couple of years ago Dannie came to the USDA Service Center for advice on some stream bank erosion and water quality issues. With cost share assistance from the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the Virginia Best Management Practices Program, Dannie installed numerous conservation practices to help with his farm problems. Dannie installed over 11,000 feet of fence to exclude his cattle from almost 2 miles of stream banks. He planted 2 acres of new riparian hardwood buffers where existing buffers were not present. Three separate limited access stream crossings were built to allow cattle and farm machinery to cross the stream without damaging the stream banks and channel. To provide the cattle with water, he drilled a well, installed 7,400 feet of pipeline, and 10 frost-free watering tanks.
Today those bare stream banks have healed over and are full of thick vegetation, which helps to anchor the soil in place. In several areas of the stream the grass vegetation is so thick that the stream is hidden as it flows along. The riparian buffers help to filter run-off before it reaches the stream. Dannie and Kathy have done an exceptional job of improving and protecting the natural resources on their farm.
Past Patrick County recipients of the local Clean Water Farm Award include Larry and Suzanne Hutchens, Leon and Jane Stevens, John and Rose Wood, Marion and Glenda Cobbler, Ted and Brenda Kirby, B H Cooper Farm, Dewey Moss and Roger Wilson, Clarence and Darrell Mitchell, Chester Turner; and Mr. and Mrs. John F. Clark who also received the Roanoke River Grand Basin Clean Water Farm Award.
The Patrick Soil and Water Conservation District located in the USDA Service Center on Stonewall Court in Stuart along with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation are proud sponsors of the Clean Water Farm Award. In Virginia, farmers voluntarily incorporate nutrient management and other environmental safeguards within agriculture operations as their contribution toward protecting water quality for citizens throughout the commonwealth. There are 47 Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout Virginia.
