Abstract:
The Bovender family of Rutherford County, Tim, Nell, and children Will and Ali, are the 2006 North Carolina Farm Conservation Family of the Year. The farm began in 1768 as a 200-acre land grant from King George III and has grown into a 1,000-acre one. The award is given annually by the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation and recognizes farmers who implement conservation-friendly techniques on their farms, often at great personal expense. Placing one-third of the farm under a conservation easement and installing 45,000 feet of fencing to keep cows out of streams that flow through the farm are two conservation things the family has done.