The distinction of Conservation Farm of the Year 2009 has been awarded to John and Shelley Reynolds of Reyncrest Farms.
The Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors made the selection and will present the award at the "Celebrate Agriculture" dinner on March 13 at the Alexander Fire Hall.
Reyncrest Farms is located on 9666 Alleghany Road in Corfu. It grows feed crops on 1,500 acres and has more than 600 dairy cows.
The longtime family business was chosen because of its environmentally friendly ways, including crop rotation, growing grass buffers along streams and ditches and installing an extensive and sophisticated drainage system.
The Reynolds family also tries to be a good neighbor when it comes to spreading manure -- they limit it to dry days and will postpone the chore if a neighbor has a party.
It's not the first time Reyncrest has received the Conservation Farm of the Year award. It also won it in 1982 when the farm was operated by John's father, the late Ed Reynolds.
Reyncrest Farms built a new barn in 2008 and a new milking structure in 1997. The big, old red barn -- plainly visible on Alleghany Road -- was spruced up last year thanks to about $5,000 from the Campbell's Soup Co. The barn was one of only five chosen nationwide for refurbishment as part of Campbell's "Help Grow Your Soup" campaign.
