Conservation district award winners announced

As part of Saturday's Bourbon County Conservation District Annual Meeting, local property owners will be honored for their contributions and work toward the area conservation of land, water and wildlife.

Donnie and Georgia Brown, Fort Scott, will be among those honored at the meeting. The Browns will be receiving the a Kansas Banker's Award for Continuing Conservation. According to Donnie, this is the second Banker's Award the pair has received.

"This is just a continuation award," he said.

The Browns are no strangers to conservation. Donnie has been involved in conservation since the 60s. Donnie's father was involved in conserving land through building waterways on his farm to prevent erosion. After seeing big rains wash his farm onto the street, Donnie quickly learned he should follow suit.

Donnie has since built waterways, terraces and ponds along with a few other practices on his farm to conserve the land.

"I've done about everything you can think of," he said. "I don't like seeing my ground wash away."

The Browns use their 515 acre farm primarily for grain farming including corn, soy beans and wheat. Donnie has been working on a farm all his life and bought his current property in 1963. According to Donnie, his father did not hand him anything.

"There was nothing handed to me other than knowledge and a desire to farm," he said.

Donnie remains humble after winning his second award from the district. Acknowledgment is not what drives him to keep up the work.

"I don't think about (awards)," he said. "I just think about getting the job done."

Kenny and Beth Snyder are also among those to be honored Saturday night. The Snyders are being awarded a Kansas Banker's Award in soil conservation.

The Snyders operate approximately 3,500 acres of land for cattle, corn, soy beans, wheat and milo harvesting. They took over the farm along with Kenny's mother in 2006 after his father passed away. The farm was built in the late 1970s when Kenny's father built terraces and waterways. These terraces and waterways are still in use and are now being maintained by the Snyders.

The Snyders have added filter strips to their land in addition to general upkeep. According to Kenny, the filter strips are good for bringing in quail.

Above all, the Snyders believe this award was for their land maintenance efforts. They make sure to keep the brush clean and pastures clear.

Although the Snyders are not ones to brag about accomplishments, they recognize the fact that what they do with their land is above that which others may deem acceptable.

"We must be doing something right," Beth said.

Look in future editions of The Tribune for more profiles on conservation district award winners.