bees

The National Association of Conservation Districts and Pollinator Partnership presented Jim Croskey of Dalroy Farms in Holmes County with the 2020 Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award in October.

The award was presented to Croskey and his family during the 20th annual North American Pollinator Protection Campaign meeting.

“Jim Croskey and his family are a testament to holistic stewardship,” said NACD CEO Jeremy Peters. “They work hand-in-hand with the Holmes Soil and Water Conservation District to make knowledgeable decisions about their operation in order to improve their soil health and water quality, while providing much-needed habitat for our hardworking pollinators.”

Dalroy Farms is a multigenerational dairy farm that also maintains several hundred acres of hay and cropland.

In recent years, Croskey has identified sites on the operation to add honey bee hives, establishing more than 20 since spring 2018.

“Not only are pollinators a passion of Jim’s, but he’s also recruited his whole family, down to his 5-year-old grandson, to become engaged in caring for honey bees,” said Pollinator Partnership President and CEO Laurie Davies Adams. “The family is committed to educating others on the many benefits of pollinators, actively advocating in their local communities for them to become pollinator advocates as well.”

Dalroy Farms has been no-till for decades and utilizes cover crops – largely clover stands – to improve their soil health, as chopped forage for their cows, and as fodder for the honey bees. Through the use of these conservation practices, Croskey has been able to reduce pesticide usage, committing to timing his applications to minimize the effects on local pollinators.

The Croskeys are Farm Bureau members in Holmes County.

Labor has always been an issue, mainly because we are a seasonal operation. So that's a challenge finding somebody who only wants to work three months out of a year, sometimes up to six months.
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Mandy Way

Way Farms

Farm Labor Resources
I appreciate the benefit of having a strong voice in my corner. The extras that are included in membership are wonderful, but I'm a member because of the positive impact to my local and state agricultural communities.
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Ernie Welch

Van Wert County Farm Bureau

Strong communities
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Matt Aultman

Darke County Farm Bureau

Leadership development
Farm Bureau involvement has taught me how to grow my professional and leadership experience outside of the workforce and how to do that in a community-centric way.
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Jaclyn De Candio

Clark County Farm Bureau

Young Ag Professionals program
With not growing up on a farm, I’d say I was a late bloomer to agriculture. I feel so fortunate that I found the agriculture industry. There are so many opportunities for growth.
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Jenna Gregorich

Coshocton County Farm Bureau

Growing our Generation
Knowing that horticulture is under the agriculture umbrella and having Farm Bureau supporting horticulture like it does the rest of ag is very important.
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Jared Hughes

Groovy Plants Ranch

Groovy Plants Ranch
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Austin Heil

Hardin County Farm Bureau

Washington, D.C. Leadership Experience
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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Mary Smallsreed

Trumbull County Farm Bureau

Advocacy
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