Brad Walker, of Lewes, is not only a generational farmer but also a teacher, coach and father. He finds great meaning in continuing this family tradition and appreciates his support system.
Every growing season on Delmarva, fields of corn and soybeans and wheat appear almost magically in the vast spaces between the region’s cities and towns. It’s not magic, of course, but the hard work of farmers who transform the landscape from Wilmington to Cape Charles. Most people do not know a farmer personally, though that's not surprising, since farmers make up less than 1 percent of the national population.
That’s why, each growing season, we make a concerted effort to introduce some of these folks who contribute so much to the world and receive little attention.
WBOC/FOX21 does not select the farmers we feature. Each year, we open nominations to the general public and six honorees are chosen by a panel of judges representing the agriculture community. This method has allowed us to profile both large operations and small family and niche farms.
To nominate a farmer, click the button below.
Thomas Calloway of Hurlock understands the challenges of farming on Delmarva. With the help of his family, and neighbors who are new to the world of agriculture, he's hoping for a positive future for all.
After a diving accident in 2008, John Benson had a choice: be confined to a wheelchair or find a way to get back out in the fields. He chose the latter.
Bruce Nichols of Hebron is well-known for the Christmas trees he's grown for decades. He grows acres of conventional plants like squash and beans… but one look at his home for over thirty years reveals both imagination and remarkable skill.
T.S. Smith & Sons of Bridgeville, DE maintained the last apple sorting masterpiece for over seventy years… while still keeping up with the times.
When you see this farmer on the road, you might think "nice tractor" or "pretty corn", but as Charlie tells us, that farmer, Mr. Byron Hauck, is a true renaissance man.
When we look at a farmer's sunflower field, we see the beauty. But farmers have to look for ways to make a living.The Ritters of Harbeson, Delaware, noticed people really love sunflowers. And they love baby goats, too
Webber Farms is Kent County is a family-style family farm; pictures in the den chronicle the growth from a dairy farm to a large-scale poultry and grain operation
The beautiful A.N. Harper and Son Farm in Dorchester County is in its fifth generation… just across the fields from the original home place. But that beauty conceals the hard work and the impossible schedule.
Ten years ago, Brandon Bonk, of Kent County, Del., was managing 2,500 acres of grains and had just partnered […]
St. George’s Church in Harbeson, Del., both stands guard and offers sanctuary to the Ritter Family Farm, on this land […]
Eric Hignutt runs a farm in Caroline County, Md., a nearly 24-hour operation.
The Killen family is the namesake of the scenic Killen’s Pond in Kent County, Del., and the family’s farms surround […]
John and Crystal Briggs of Ellendale, Del., are a most unusual find: “First Generation” farmers. They both hold full-time jobs, […]
On the western edge of Bridgeville, Del., is the landmark Donnie’s Market, a true family operation. There, the Short […]
WBOC's Charles Paparella looked back over previous years and selected some salient points worth serious consideration. Six, Delmarva farm operations will be honored for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.