Outstanding agriculture leaders were honored at the Ontario County Agriculture Appreciation Banquet at Club 86 in Geneva. The banquet was a celebration of agriculture in Ontario County during National Agriculture Week. There were ninety agriculture producers, county officials, county supervisors, and state and legislative representatives on hand.
There was a presentation, “A Showcase of the Best of Ontario County,” done by Amy Pyra, 4-H Educator, and Julie Maslyn, 4-H Leader, and Youth Fair Board Chairperson. Amy highlighted the 4-H program and all the projects that the 4-H’ers are doing. Julie highlighted all the great things that are being done at the fairgrounds towards creating more educational experiences for the public. The Knopf Family was recognized for hosting the Fun on the Farm event in 2022.
The Rodney Lightfoote Agricultural Viability, Leadership, and Innovation Award serves as a memorial to Rodney Lightfoote (1920-2002), former Agriculture Program Leader of Cornell Cooperative Extension, one of the original founders of Ontario County Farm Bureau, farmer and friend of agriculture. The 2023 recipient was Steve Sheppard of Sheppard Grain, Phelps. Steve was raised on a dairy and cabbage farm near Seneca Castle. He graduated from Midlakes High School in 1975. In 1977, Steve received his National Award for his Experimental Horticulture project, “Researching the Most Economical Use of Ammonium Nitrate on Table Beets.” He was also in 4-H as a youth. Steve struck out on his own when he was 21, he decided to start his own operation growing processing vegetables including sweet corn, spinach, and particularly red beets on contract. In 1981 he bought the Salisbury Farm in Phelps which is still his home base for his business. In 1986 he switched to growing grains. There weren’t many soybeans being grown in the area, so he decided he wanted to demonstrate that soybeans could be grown. He planted 800 acres in his first year. Then in 1988, he designed a roasting system for soybeans rather than shipping them out of state to be roasted. Soybeans need to be roasted to make a more digestible and nutritious feed that is used for all types of livestock. This is an example of adding value to an agricultural product and marketing. In 1998, Steve saw another opportunity and he built the expelling plant to extract the oil mechanically from soybeans rather than using chemicals used by some facilities. Steve sold his business and currently lives in Florida. His brother John is the manager of the operation and accepted the award on behalf of Steve.
The Jackie Kunes Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award was established by the Ontario County Farm Bureau as a tribute to Jackie Kunes (1937-1977), the first woman president of Ontario County Farm Bureau, a distinguished and devoted leader in the industry, her family business, and the community. Jackie’s daughter, Kathleen Zastrow presented the 2023 Jackie Kunes Award to Priscilla Bonnell, from Geneva. She Always loved animals and especially loved going to grandma and grandpa’s farm. She helped milk the jersey cow and she was usually sent out to catch horses because grandpa said she “had the touch.” At home she had rabbits, a duck and a chicken. She belonged to a 4-H llama club and enjoyed showing at the state fair. Her other grandpa owned a champion Belgian mare that she helped show at venues around the state. Priscilla went to Clyde Savannah schools and then to Millbrook School on an ice hockey scholarship for the last years of high school where she graduated summa cum laude. On a gap year, she worked for a plumber, a roofer, and an auto mechanic. She attended and graduated Sum Laude from Colorado College with a degree in sociology. Spent one year at UC Berkeley, California in the sociology program. Then she decided to return to her first love: working with animals and received a veterinarian technician degree in Fort Collins, CO. Priscilla worked for veterinarians in Colorado, including at an urgent care facility, and also started her own pet sitting and yard cleaning business called Manure Movers. Finally, she returned to New York State and worked for Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital and then at Pedersen Farms as their hog barn manager. Concurrently, she started Grandpa’s Girl Farm, growing organic niche vegetables and selling them at a roadside stand and at Red Dove restaurant. In 2022 she worked at Marshall Farms as a barn manager where she earned accolades for removing all of the cats from their pens during a barn fire by transporting them all out in trash cans! Not one life was lost. Currently, she is waiting for the next adventure in her life.
The Ontario County Farm Bureau Agricultural Citizenship Scholarship was presented by Julie Maslyn, chairperson of the Ontario County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee. This scholarship recognizes graduating high school seniors for their agricultural citizenship within their community. Their activities, promotional efforts, and enthusiasm for the agriculture industry are recognized and encouraged, no matter what field of study they pursue. The recipient was Abigail Spence from Clifton Springs. Abigail is the daughter of Casey and Melissa Spence from Clifton Springs and comes from a long line of farmers on both sides. Abby currently attends Midlakes High School and has an interest in Beef Cattle, which she comes by naturally being part of her family’s business, Creek Side Cattle Co. Abby has said that from a young age, she could be found out working with her animals and in the fields. She enjoys both the animal and the equipment side of things, and Abby plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill to be a part of their Livestock program. Outside of agriculture Abby has been a member of the soccer team, swim team, and the Midlakes Ag Club, and has been involved in her family’s church.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County, Ontario County Farm Bureau, and Ontario County Agriculture Enhancement Board are collaborators of this annual event.
