Soil Conservation AwardS
Sponsored By The
Kansas Bankers Association

Each year the Conservation District reviews work completed by landowners to improve or noticeably sustain cropland.  If an operation stands out above the rest, the District (along with partnering agencies) likes to acknowledge the work done to encourage others to do the same.  One or more can be selected each year. 

​The Shawnee County Conservation District's Banker Awardees for 2022 are below.

​Garrett Holaday, Key Banker (Landmark National Bank in Auburn)
and Gary Gilbert-Banker Award forSoil Conservation in 2022

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Gary Gilbert of Woodlawn Farms near Tecumseh is one winner of the 2022 Banker’s Award for Shawnee County for Soil Conservation.
 
The Woodlawn Farm property was originally purchased in 1920 by John Abrahams with 460 acres.  It was used as a dairy for 50 years and run by John Tolbert and his family who lived on the farm.
 
In 1954, 98 acres off the south side of the farm was purchased by the State of Kansas to build the original Kansas Turnpike. Later in 1995, an additional 116 acres was purchased for construction of the new East Topeka Toll Plaza of the Kansas Turnpike Authority.
 
In 1970 Dick Hassur bought the property and sold off different parcels except for the original homestead, barns and 137 acres.  In 1974 the land was acquired by Gary Gilbert and has since purchased additional acreage as it became available.
 
Today Gary owns approximately 370 acres.  There is 160 acres of farm ground, 120 acres used for hay and 90 acres by Stinson Creek of timber and lawns.  In the past 48 years, Gary has spent countless hours of rebuilding and maintaining not only the homestead of the barn, homes, fences, and buildings but also taking care of his land with conservation practices.  Terraces, waterways and two ponds have been built and maintained.  Some of the terraces were built back in the late 1920’s and believed to be the first built in Shawnee County. They are still working today, which is attributed to the proper maintenance after 90 plus years.
 
Although this could be a full-time job, Gary was employed full-time by the Midas Muffler Franchise for 43 years. Gary and his wife, Linda, have six girls between them and eight grandchildren.
 
Gary Gilbert was awarded the Banker Award for Soil Conservation previously in 1982.  Gary was recognized again for his continued and exceptional effort of conservation on the Woodlawn Farms.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Leroy Russell, K-State Research and Extension Ag Agent of Shawnee County and Norma Lynch-Banker Award for Soil Conservation for 2022

​Robert and Norma Lynch
 
Robert (Bob) and Norma Lynch, Tecumseh, are being recognized for the 2022 Banker Award for Soil Conservation in Shawnee County.
 
The 160-acre farm was purchased in 1956.  It was an old farmstead that needed lots of love and attention.  It took many years to accomplish what you can now see on the property.  Ponds have been built with the existing ones being maintained and fences have been mended for the few cattle and hogs they acquired. Terraces and waterways have been built to control erosion of the soil.
  
Bob worked long hours at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company but beginning in 1990, would come home to his crop rotation of milo, wheat, soybeans, and corn. Eventually, this built up 75 acres of no-till farmland. To supplement, the 40-acres of hay ground was rented on shares supplying alfalfa, brome and native grass hay to local farmers, cattle feed lots, horse stables and the Budweiser Clydesdales in St. Louis, MO.
 
The Lynch farm began practicing the use of cover crops in 2012.  They believed this change in farming procedures was beneficial to their land.  Applying the practices of the cover crops, testing their soil, and applying appropriate amounts of fertilizer that was suggested, the soil and production was greatly improved.  Erosion was curtailed to a minimum and water retention was visibly noticeable.
In 2015 a project was completed with assistance from the Upper Wakarusa WRAPS program to control erosion from the creek running through the property.  Cedar tree revetment and bank shaping were used to reduce sediment and transport the nutrients to a location more welcomed.  This project is still being monitored today.
 
Bob was a distributor for Conklin Products from 1978-2021, on the Kaw Valley Electric Company board from 1995-2016, a Shawnee County Farm Bureau Board Member for 5 years, a longtime 4-H leader and on the Board of Supervisors for the Shawnee County Conservation District from 2012-2018.  Robert passed away in August of 2021.  He and Norma were married 65 years.  The farm is what it is today because of Bob and his love for farming.
 
Throughout the years, Norma had a part-time job off the farm, but assisted Bob with the farm duties as much as she could.  Bob and Norma shared in the joy of having four children.  Their three girls were born and raised on the farm. Unfortunately, their son passed away at the age of five. They now have three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Norma continues to live on the homestead and her renter, Daniel Squires, continues to use cover crops and good soil fertility practices.