Nancy Brown, program manager for the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District, is the 2016 recipient of the Elkhart County Agricultural Society's Uncle Elmer Award.
The award presentation, set for Aug. 23 during the Ag Society's annual meeting in Goshen, comes just as Brown is preparing for a new chapter in her life. On Aug. 31, she will retire after 32 years of employment with the district. She started out as a technician, then became education coordinator before moving to her current post.
Brown is well known for her work with the Indiana Master Naturalist Program. In fact, she worked with Elkhart County Parks in 2007 to bring the educational program to Elkhart County. For this accomplishment, the Indiana Master Naturalist Council last year honored Brown as its first Master Naturalist of the Year.
Through the 11-week Master Naturalist program, Brown educates people who have a passion for natural resources but may not be familiar with the SWCD's work with farmers.
During the course of a single day, Brown carries the conservation message to a variety of audiences.
"It is very rewarding to show how most farmers are great stewards of the land," she said. "I can go from working on those (Master Naturalist) classes to doing an elementary school program on earthworms and soil, to assisting with a field day on forest management or cover crops, and then go to a budget hearing or Stormwater Board meeting."
As she prepares to retire, Brown recalls with a smile all of the people she has helped over the years. One who comes to mind is Jim Hess, a current SWCD board member.
"When I met him, he was a member of Northridge FFA, and I was trying to convince him to be in our speech contest," Brown recalled. "He went on to become a member of the SWCD board for many years before joining the staff as a conservationist. He will be assuming my role as program manager when I retire."
Under Brown's leadership, the Elkhart County SWCD has worked with farmers to show that conservation practices can make a difference. Through education, she and others have been able to demonstrate the importance of conservation.
These lessons, she added, apply to backyard gardeners as well as farmers.
"Protecting natural resources is something we all can do," she said, "and learning about soil health, preventing soil erosion, and protecting pollinators isn't just important to farmers, but to us all."
In fact, one of the keys to Brown's success over the years has been communicating these messages to a wider audience.
"When the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District Board was willing to expand our conservation message to the urban and 'backyard' residents of the county we were able to tell agriculture's story and success to many more people, and they were able to adopt urban construction and backyard conservation measures to that part of the county that they were able to influence," she said. "Nothing I have done would have been possible without the support and guidance of the SWCD board."
While Brown has done much, she notes that there is still more to be accomplished in terms of education. She says some people who have violated wetlands protection laws, for example, often feel that they are being singled out while the "other guy" is allowed to break the same rule.
Brown says wetland laws are complicated, but nevertheless they are on the books for a good reason. She adds that no one is exempt from following the regulations.
"A lot of what we do is help people find the correct agency for their situation," she said. "Many people don't realize there are three different agencies in our office, and none is the 'boss' of the others. The SWCD rents space in the Goshen field office of two USDA agencies, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency. We all serve the people of Elkhart County, but we serve different roles and have complimentary responsibilities.
"Add to this that we often refer people to state agencies, like the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and I understand the frustration of people who just want an answer. I hope they understand that sometimes there isn't a simple answer to their questions. We just hope they continue to ask, because it is so much easier to prevent mistakes than to correct them!"
As Brown looks to retirement, she plans to spend more time with her seven grandchildren and help her husband, Joe, on the five-generation, 500-acre family farm located in Benton Twp. that grows corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and raises beef cattle. One of her sons, Brian, is also involved in the farming operation. Nancy and Joe have two other children, Jeff and Mary.
Consistent with her conservationist philosophy, Brown says her family utilizes no-till farming methods and plants grassed waterways and filter strips to prevent erosion.
Though she is leaving her post at the Elkhart County SWCD, the longtime educator and conservationist expects to remain active as a volunteer for the district.
"I can't imagine a life without promoting conservation," she said with a smile.
Brown says it has been an honor to serve Elkhart County's agricultural community for the past three decades, and feels humbled by the recognition from the Ag Society. She counts many of her mentors among the ranks of past Ag Society award recipients.
The Ag Society's annual meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Elkhart County Community Center in Goshen. Tickets are available at the Extension office at 574/533-0554.