WCCD awards conservation recognition to area agriculture

Jill and Nate Lada of Ann Arbor Township received a Beginning Conservationist Farming award from the Washtenaw County Conservation District last week.

Bill and Mike VanRiper of Lima Township earned the Walter Wolfgang Conservation award from the WCCD.

Submitted by Kathleen Graddy

The Washtenaw County Conservation District honored several local family farmers as well as conservation-based activities at its annual meeting last Thursday night.

Bill and Mike VanRiper of Lima Township received the 2019 Conservation Farmer of the Year award. The brothers farm 640 acres of soy beans, alfalfa, corn and wheat, using established conservation practices such as reduced tillage, planted filter strips and cover crops. Having transitioned away from dairy, they are now branching out into organics and hemp. They manage the Dottie-O-Dairy Ranch, established by their parents in 1950.

The 2019 Tree Conservationist of the Year award went to Emerson School, a private K-8 school in Ann Arbor. Life Sciences teacher Matt Nolan introduced a Permaculture class in 2016 where students maintain a vibrant forest garden, learning to plant and care for fruit and nut trees, herbs and perennials. Over the past three years, Nolan’s classes planted more than 100 trees of 30 different species as well as 50 varieties of shrubs. Students learned to build up marginal land, analyze soils, and make compost from the school’s food scraps. They interact with nature for the wonder, joy, and understanding of stewardship of the land.

Jill and Nate Lada were awarded the 2019 Beginning Conservation Farmer of the Year. They’ve farmed Green Things Farm in Ann Arbor Township for eight years, now managing over 100 acres in vegetables, flowers and cattle. They use a variety of marketing strategies including a CSA, farmers markets, a farm stand and restaurants. Their operation is USDA Certified Organic with a focus on the highest quality food and continuously building healthy soil.

The Lada and VanRiper operations take advantage of resources provided or connected to the WCCD, such as the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MEAEP) which verifies environmentally sound farm practices, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and USDA programs.

The stated mission of the WCCD is “to assist residents and landowners with the conservation, management and wise use of natural resources in Washtenaw County.” The WCCD School and Community Habitat Grant Fund helps communities create wildlife habitat.

The annual dinner and meeting this year hosted a fascinating and fun presentation by Gabriela Quinlan, PhD student from MSU, titled “Michigan’s Native Bees.” Other upcoming WCCD events include The Annual Native Plant Expo and Marketplace on May 30; and the Spring and the Fall Tree and Shrub Distributions through which county residents can buy a large variety of native trees and plants. They also provide technical assistance, rain barrels and education programs such as Backyard Conservation Workshops and Farmer-Focused Ag workshops and field days.

Through WCCD efforts in 2019, more than 2 million pounds of CO2 was diverted from our atmosphere. Visit their website at www.washtenawcd.org to discover the many ways this gem of a public service organization can help you!

Emerson School in Scio Township earned the Tree Conservationist of the Year award for maintaining a vibrant “forest garden.”

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.