On November 4, the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District held its Annual Awards at the North Nobleboro Community Hall.In addition to dinner, the evening agenda included highlights of conservation education and practices in Knox and Lincoln counties by the District and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices in Augusta and Belfast, presentation of conservation awards, and guest speakers, Sally Allen, James Wilgar and Ethan Tillson from the ABLE Project at Whitefield School.

The following awards were presented:

Conservation Farm of the Year presented to Patti and Chris Hamilton, Hamilton Farm/Barred Owl Creamery & Catering, Whitefield, by Tim Hathorne, District Board vice chair. Hamilton Farm is a MOFGA certified organic farm that raises goats and sheep for meat, fleece and dairy, as well as pigs and a variety of poultry. Adding value to the products, Patti runs a catering business and licensed creamery that produces farmstead artisanal cheeses, which means that all cheeses are made with milk from goats and sheep raised on the farm. In 2015, the American Cheese Society awarded Barred Owl Creamery first place for mixed goat/sheep milk feta and second place for hot pepper jelly chevre. Since 2000, when they moved to Whitefield, Chris and Patti have worked with NRCS to incorporate conservation practices as part of their farm plan including pasture restoration, rotational/prescribed grazing, wetlands protection, and installation of a high tunnel to extend the season for herbs and vegetables grown for cheese and catering.

Honorary Lifetime Membership on the District Board conferred on Barry Tibbetts of Sheepscot Valley Farm, Whitefield, for his outstanding leadership in agriculture and conservation by Mark Hedrich, District board chair. Barry served as a supervisor on the District board for 24 years, 21 as board chair, and continues to serve as an associate supervisor as well as helping out at the District plant sale.

Excellence in Forestry Education presented to Lorraine Taft, Friendship, in recognition of her work with the Forest Pest Outreach Project of the Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry by Hildy Ellis, District Coordinator. Lorraine’s passion for and dedication to educating the citizens of Maine about the threat posed by invasive forest pests, such as hemlock wooly adelgid, winter moth, emerald ash borer, and Asian long-horned beetle has been exemplary.

Excellence in Agricultural Education presented to Ellie Libby, Waldoboro by Rebecca Jacobs, District education coordinator, who honored Ellie for her unrivaled enthusiasm and dedication to teaching Midcoast youth about the importance of the links between farm and food during her years with Knox-Lincoln Cooperative Extension 4-H. Ellie has been an active volunteer at many District events, including every annual Conservation Fair since at least 2009.

Excellence in Horticultural Education presented to Liz Stanley, Warren by Hildy Ellis, in recognition of her dynamic leadership of the Master Gardener program of the Cooperative Extension in Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo counties. Liz has inspired hundreds of volunteers to become involved in community gardening, deliver educational talks and workshops, conduct citizen science, grow food for the needy, serve with non-profits to support environmental outreach, and participate in civic beautification throughout the midcoast.

Following awards, Sally Allen, teacher; James Wilgar, education technician; and Ethan Tillson, student gave an exciting presentation about ABLE, the Aquaponics Based Learning Environment, they are pioneering at Whitefield School. ABLE uses aquaponics, outdoor gardens, and a newly constructed greenhouse as teachings and learning tools for middle-school classes.

The District thanks the cooks of Nobleboro Community Association for the delicious food, as well as all the businesses who donated items for door prize drawings that were held throughout evening: Agricola Farm, Union; Ames Supply, Wiscasset; Mystic Woodworking, Warren; NEWAIM Farm, Waldoboro; Schoolhouse Farm, Thomaston; Spear Farm, Nobleboro; Viking Lumber, Warren; and Warren True Value.