Long Creek Farm won second place in the state conservation farm contest (from left to right): Louis Aspey, Acting State Conservationist, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service; Gary Sawyers, President, West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts; Linda Jensen, Owner, Long Creek Farm; Steve Zechman, Owner, Long Creek Farm; Gus R. Douglass, Commissioner, West Virginia Department of Agriculture; Alfred Lewis, State Executive Director, USDA-Farm Service Agency; Paul Lewis, Assistant Director, Outreach and Community Affairs of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

The Upper Ohio Conservation District is home to this year’s second place winner of the West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year contest, Long Creek Farm located on Adonis Road in Sistersville. Since purchasing the farm, Steve Zechman and his wife Linda Jensen have worked diligently to restore the farm to working condition and it shows in the land.

West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass presented the Zechman’s with an award plaque and a $500 check, on Jan. 9 at the West Virginia Conservation Awards and Recognition Conference.

Long Creek Farm is comprised of approximately 250 acres, of which 62 acres is in hay, 30 in pasture, with the remaining balance in woodland. The farm is primarily a cow/calf and fresh market produce operation, with 41 head of beef cattle including 13 calves, 28 cows and yearlings and one bull.

The Zechman’s have installed and implemented multiple best management practices on their farm. These include nutrient management plans, rotational grazing and 9,200 feet of exclusion fencing.

They have also had regular soil tests as part of the Upper Ohio Conservation Districts Lime Incentive Program.

Commissioner Douglass awarded the first place plaque and a $1,000 check to B&G Orchards of Berkeley County. B&G Orchards also won 200 hours or four months use of a new John Deere Tractor from Middletown Tractor Sales in Fairmont, W.Va. Stone Meadow Cattle, owned and operated by Dr. John Tomlinson, in Greenbrier County came in third place and received a plaque and a $500 check.

The West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year competition occurred successively on four levels: county, conservation district, area and state.

The judges for the West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year competition were representatives of the following agencies: WV Association of Conservation Districts; WV Conservation Agency; WV Department of Environmental Protection; WV Department of Agriculture; WV Division of Forestry; WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences; WVU Extension Services; USDA Farm Service Agency; and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.