Fayette County Ag Hall of Fame applications due

0

The season is beginning to change from the summer of weather uncertainty to hopefully a calmer fall. The soybean fields are starting to change from a dark green to a golden yellow and the leaves on the trees will soon begin changing as well.

With the change in seasons, especially in agriculture, I look at fall as a time of reflection. It is the end of a growing season; a time to harvest the hard work you put into your garden or field crops. It is a time to reflect on what farming or gardening practice worked the best or what practice you have used for years, and this season, did not work as well. Charles Dickens once stated, “Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”

In agriculture we are blessed with many accomplishments; a new baby calf or pig being born, a bumper corn crop, a weed free soybean field, and so on. Behind every agricultural accomplishment is a person, a leader, a visionary that took a chance and through hard work, dedication, sweat and even tears made that accomplishment happen for themselves as well as others. Accomplishments come in all different sizes; the engineering of a new farm machine, the development of a new corn hybrid, educating high school students about the agricultural industry, serving your agricultural community as a leader in county, state and national organizations, and this too has a list that is endless.

As the Agricultural Educator in a county so rich with agricultural heritage, I am reminded of that heritage every time I walk down the hallway in the Fayette County Agricultural Center. In the Center is a trophy case filled with representatives that have a countless number of agricultural accomplishments. The accomplishments of these representatives have had a priceless impact on present day Fayette County.

I have only been in this position since February of this year. One of the very first county events I was directly involved with was the annual Fayette County Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet that was held in March. The committee selected two outstanding recipients of the award; they were Harold C. Mark and John A. Peterson.

As an outsider coming in, I was impressed by the deep commitment these two gentlemen had and continue to have in the agricultural industry. Mark, who has already passed, was celebrated and remembered by his personal family and his Fayette County family for his accomplishments as a seed corn developer. Peterson, who is still very much involved with his family farming operation and his numerous leadership roles and accomplishments as a member of the military, a pork producer, a farm bureau member, a grange member and leadership roles in his church, was also celebrated by his wife, family and Fayette County family.

It is time once again to nominate an outstanding individual for their accomplishments, contributions or involvement in the world of agriculture. Nominees for the Ag Hall applications for the Ag Hall of Fame are available at the Extension Office anytime throughout the year or you can call 740-335-1150 or email [email protected] to have an application sent to you.

The application states the necessary information needed about a nominee. Once an application has been submitted for consideration by the committee, it will continue to be considered each year. Applications to be considered for the 2015 Fayette County Agricultural Hall of Fame are available and are due back to the Extension Office by Sept. 1, 2015.

The committee will be meeting on Sept. 9, 2015 to discuss the current nominations and set a date for the 2015 Annual Banquet. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ken Ford at 740-335-1150 or at [email protected] .

http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2015/08/web1_1902907_10152226835453966_1940934477_n.jpg

By Ken Ford

OSU Extension Fayette County

No posts to display