Early each summer the annual conservation awards nomination process begins. The Lava Soil and Water Conservation District seven-member board reviews cooperator's agricultural practices and plans. Natural Resources Conservation Services staff recommend producers for Farmer of the Year and Rancher of the Year based on the individual's participation in NRCS programs.

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On Saturday, Oct. 3, more than 70 LSWCD members attended the annual meeting and banquet. The evening's program highlighted two agricultural operators receiving special recognition. Bernard Valdo was honored as 2009 Farmer of the Year. Miriam M. Goetting was chosen 2009 Rancher of the Year.

Farmer of the Year

    Since 1999, the main field crop on Bernard Valdo's 30-acre farm, near the Pueblo of Acoma, is alfalfa. Working with the Environmental Quality Incentives Program offered through the NRCS, each field was leveled. A certified contractor used laser technology for this procedure. Soil leveling produces more uniform alfalfa and reduces crop irrigation. Valdo commented about his alfalfa fields before participating in EQIP,  “I used to pipe the water a long ways for irrigation.”

    He harvests hay three times per season. Each cutting yields 50 bales per acre and bales average 75 pounds. By 2010, the family farm will have five separate fields. Valdo's plans focus on management of cropland, pasture and irrigation.

    Additional production includes vegetable crops of pumpkins, zucchini, watermelons, squash and corn. To improve crop pollination, this year four honeybee hives were purchased. Valdo anticipates harvesting about 400 pounds of honey and hopes to expand the number of hives.

    His wife, Clarice, and four family members operate a bakery with weekly production of 700 loaves of bread, 1,000 cookies and 700 pies. Baked three times per week, the breads, pies and cookies are sold at their Gallup Flea Market booth on Saturdays. They offer cinnamon-sugar cookies and five types of fruit pies. When asked what type of bread, Valdo said, “Just regular white bread.”

    Clarice and Bernard have eight adult children and more than 20 grandchildren. “I have kinda lost count of the number of grandkids.” joked Valdo.

    He remarked that he is following in his own father's footsteps. Valdo's dad farmed and the son commented, “I used to hate growing up on the farm. But now I love to see things grow.” For the past five years son Nolan has worked with dad on the family farm. He may be the next generation of Valdo farmers.

Rancher of the Year

    Miriam M. Goetting's cow-calf operation, on more than 4,000 acres, both private and leased public land, is near Laguna. The ranch has been in the family for three generations. She remarked, “The ranch has been in the family and I have always enjoyed working on it. Even at the end of a long day, I am happy with what I do on the ranch.”

    Besides the crossbred herd of Hereford/Angus (known as “Baldies”), she raises and trains her own horses with a little help from friends and family. Her grazing strategies focus on rotational pasturing of native grasses throughout the year, which means no additional forage is purchased.

    Goetting operates the ranch in compliance with a Resource Management Plan, which requires meeting all the ranch resource needs. The plan includes improved fencing for pasture rotation and dependable livestock watering facilities. She met these goals by drilling a new well, installing two pumps, trenching more than 4,100 feet of livestock water pipeline plus related water management facilities and building more than 16,000 feet of new fence.

    She is an active rancher who brands calves, fixes fences, maintains watering troughs and moves livestock from pasture to pasture. Even with her professional job duties off the ranch, Goetting spends part of each day working as a ranch-hand. Her dedication to the ranch includes a willingness to learn new conservation methods.

    New methods include practices when lessen demand on livestock water and crop irrigation. The methods offset the reduced winter moisture in surrounding elevations, which has contributed to the current seven-year drought.

    Putting those practices into use helped the board chose Both Valdo and Goetting as recipients for the year's top conservation awards.

Editor’s Note: Look in Tuesday’s Beacon for more information about the Lava Soil and Conservation District.