Noreen Thomas, with husband, Lee, farms 1,200 certified organic acres with rotations of soybeans, popcorn, wheat, barley, blue corn, alfalfa and a large community garden with a wide array of heirloom vegetables dating back as far as the 1700s. With creative marketing, she's created a demand for her produce locally at upscale restaurants, as well as internationally. A diverse grower who takes care to use the best, most environmentally sound production methods, Thomas does not use herbicides or pesticides on her farm; rather, she utilizes plantings to attract beneficial insects and rotations to break pest cycles.

Thomas uses Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and NASA-funded satellite images to help solve riverbank erosion and neighboring farm pesticide problems. Active in promoting educational, hands-on experiences with adults and children, Thomas has hosted many on-farm field days, including weekly visits from Boy Scouts & 4-H members, Junior Master Gardening classes, as well as extension and adult education classes.