The Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture

2002 Winner

 

The beauty of this kind of dairying is that, every day, you wake up with more ideas you want to try. - Tom Trantham Tom Trantham, Trantham's Dairy Farm/Happy Cow Creamery, Pelzer, S.C. In brief: Seventy-five milking cows on 70-acre grass-based dairy 25 paddocks ranging from 2.5 to 3.2 acres with multiple forages New milk processing plant produces milk for on-site sales Press Release

2002 Madden Award Finalists

Carmen Fernholz, Madison, Minn. Raises organic grain crops and 1,000 hogs annually on 410 acres Started collective bargaining, marketing agency Prairie restoration, terracing, tree plantings   Press Release When you use organic practices, you expend significantly fewer dollars to produce a crop. And if there is a premium, you're that much farther ahead. - Carmen Fernholz

Each year has been the best we've ever had. We reduced our dependence on outside labor and now raise the crops we like best. - Alex Hitt Alex and Betsy Hitt, Peregrine Farm, Graham, N.C. Intensive vegetable and cut flower production on five acres Sales to farmers market, specialty store, restaurants, guaranteeing premium prices 10-year farm rotation: 57 kinds of flowers, 60 varieties of vegetables         Press Release

Richard Ha, Kea'au Banana Plantation, Hilo, Hawaii 800 acres of bananas on two plantations Long-term view, minimizing agri-chemicals, erosion and water use "Eco-friendly" labels; crew of 70 workers enjoy profit-sharing     Press Release I had a philosophy that we should take a long-term view of how we affect our workers, our community and the environment. So far, this also has meant profitability for our company. - Richard Ha

Instead of seeing my farm as a secluded hideaway, I am getting the community involved, bringing them to see our principles in action. - Larry Thompson Larry Thompson, Thompson's Berry Farm, Boring, Ore. 140 acres of strawberries, raspberries, cauliflower and broccoli All produce sold at farm stand or at area farmers markets Crop rotations, flowering species attract beneficial insects Educational seasonal events for school children, residents   Press Release

Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens, Penn Yan, N.Y. Organic grain and processing vegetables on 1,300 acres Diverse, long-term rotations for pest management and soil fertility Founded organic feed and seed business, expanding markets for N.Y. growers   Press Release Successful organic farming involves much more than simply the avoidance of certain prohibited materials. - Mary-Howell Martens

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