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Champion
Lucas Young, part of four generations of farmers in Woodstock, was named a Soil Health Champion. Pictured: Dexter Young, Timothy Young, Lucas Young and Chase Young with his heifer Ivy.  Photo courtesy of Cabot Creamery Co-operative.


Young
named
soil health
champion
WOODSTOCK — Four generations, all Young, are planning for and chasing the legacy of their soils.
The Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) announced that Lucas Young of Valleyside Farm was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).
ECCD worked with NACD to nominate Young, based on his extraordinary work to promote soil health management practices on the family farm and advance the adoption of these practices within the larger farming community. ECCD supports the work of Lucas by helping to publicize field days and farm tours, and by providing resources for other soil health related promotional activities.
Soil Health Champions are raising awareness about the benefits of soil health practices from the local level to a national one. Champions share their personal experiences using best management practices through the national network on a peer-to-peer basis and through NACD-hosted national meetings and events.
The land that Lucas manages has been in his family for 11 generations.  As dairy farmers, their cows, which consist of a 220 milking herd of Holsteins, are a treasured part of their farm. The quality milk they produce is shipped to make the Cabot dairy products.
The land the cows are raised on was originally part of a King’s grant, remaining in the family ever since it was deeded to his ancestors in the early 1700s. “We are blessed to be the caretakers and continue its long-standing legacy. As a multigenerational operation (four currently on the farm), our history drives our future and we are always looking for new technologies and ideas to keep our business sustainable and moving forward.  This year we are building our own creamery where we will bring a touch of our past back by selling our dairy products directly to our neighbors in the surrounding community,” said Lucas.
Lucas’ grandfather, Dexter Young, said: “Lucas wakes up in the morning thinking and talking about the legacy of the family and the farm.” Lucas’ determination to shape the family legacy is apparent in all that he does, from hosting soil health workshops to participating in research to study the best methods to germinate and manage cover crops as well as traveling to various regions to explore and learn from other leaders in the field.  Pursuing the family legacy has economic benefits, as well. According to Tim Young, Lucas’s father, the soil health practices they have adopted, “make the farm viable and sustainable for future generations.”
As field manager for the family farm, Lucas has been instrumental in converting Valleyside Farm’s practices to supporting soil health. Under Lucas’ leadership, Valleyside has implemented no-till farming and the use of diverse cover crops. Last year, with assistance from CT DEEP through Sec. 319 of EPA’s Clean Water Act, Valleyside purchased precision planting equipment to allow its cover crop to remain in the ground longer which helps to naturally feed the next crop.
“It is an honor to be chosen as a Soil Health Champion,” said Young. “Building soil health is essential if America is to meet the challenges of providing food, fuel, and fiber for a growing population here and abroad.  I encourage my fellow farmers to research methods that can improve farming practices all while keeping economics and sustainability in mind.  We are all unique due to the make-up of our lands but we can always learn from one another.”
“Lucas richly deserves this honor. He will be a stellar advocate in helping to increase adoption of soil health practices – his humility, when discussing soil, disarms the staunchest doubters,” said Dan Mullins, executive director of the District.
Lucas has also installed other conservation practices to help protect the environment.  Last summer, Lucas and his 13 year-old son Chase installed a woodchip bioreactor to remove excess nitrogen from tile drain discharge. Chase looked confident and regal as he steered the front-end loader into position. Surely the King’s grant will be left in good hands as four generations of Youngs pursue the noble enterprise of dairy farming while implementing soil health practices that will improve the farm’s soil quality and protect local waterways.
To arrange a speaking engagement, interview, field tour, or other activity with Lucas Young or the NACD Soil Health Champions Network, contact NACD’s Beth Mason at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ECCD’s Dan Mullins at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
 

Crazy Spring
Flowers blooming and snow-covered corn fields --- all in the same week. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.

Roundup
Centaurs
crush
Tigers
The biggest concern Woodstock Academy softball coach Jason Gerum had going into the Centaurs’ game with Tourtellotte April 9 was the elapsed time between games.
The first time the Centaurs took the field this season was on March 31.
That was a long 10 days, generally spent inside the gym, between games.
“It was just great to get outside and play,” Gerum said. “The nice thing about the bad weather last week, early in the season, is that we’ve now piled up a lot of three-game weeks. Now, we just get to play a lot.”
The rust showed a bit early, but the Centaurs rallied for a 17-4 win over the Tigers at Roseland Park.
Tourtellotte (0-3) took advantage of a pair of infield errors when Michaela Godzik singled home both Jolie Wilber and Stephanie Daly, who reached on those errors, to give the Tigers the lead.
It didn’t last long.
The Centaurs settled down defensively, making just one more error the rest of the way. Pitcher Hannah Wotton allowed just four more hits and the Woodstock Academy bats heated up despite the cool temperatures.
The Centaurs (1-1) quickly responded in the bottom of the first with Hannah Burgess and Naomi Rivard drawing lead-off walks and Ciri Miller followed with the first of her four hits and first of five runs batted in with a single to right.
Miller now has seven hits in her first nine trips to the plate this season.
“I pride myself on my hitting,” Miller said.
Maia Corrado singled home another run, Heather Converse added a two-run single and Hannah Burgess tripled home three.
Miller’s second single and RBI of the first inning gave the Centaurs the 9-2 advantage.
“(Miller) and Burgess are steady eddies and both are returning All-Stars,” Gerum said. “Ciri is probably one of the most focused kids I’ve ever coached. We know about her academics, all the stuff she does, extracurriculars in school, she’s just very focused. She just steps into the box, focuses, and gets it done.”
The Tigers got a run back with a Stephanie Daly triple and a sacrifice fly by Godzik in the third, but The Academy countered in the bottom of the inning.
Converse and Burgess both walked and an outfield error allowed two runs to score. Casidhe Hoyt then went yard, hitting a ball into the wind over the fence in dead center field off reliever Lindsey Houghton.
“When (Tourtellotte) brought in their second pitcher, she throws a little slower. Our girls tend to pull the ball foul a lot. They get under it because of the speed changes, it’s almost too slow for them. Just last week, we were working on staying inside on the ball; keep the hands inside and driving the ball and she is someone who struggled with it. I reminded her of that two pitches before and she got inside on it and just drilled it up the middle,” Gerum said.
It cleared the Little League softball fence and threatened to go over the adjoining baseball fence before coming to rest.
“As soon as she hit it, I said, ‘It’s out,’” Miller said.
The blast gave the Centaurs a 13-4 lead.
Miller drove in another run in a two-run fifth and both runs in a two-run sixth inning to account for her five RBIs.
“We’ve started right where we left off last year so we’re really excited for the season,” Miller said.
Miller also made a nice catch off her shoestrings in the second inning and the Centaurs also got a double play.
“For us, it’s about routine plays. The teams are going to get hits, going to score here and there, but if our pitching can limit walks which Hannah Wotton (4 strikeouts, 3 walks) is doing a good job with now and we can make the routine plays, we can be in any game we play against anybody,” Gerum said.
Baseball Win
Eric Preston’s single down the third-base line with the bases loaded April 8 was what The Woodstock Academy baseball teams needed to capture a season-opening 4-3 win over Wheeler in eight innings.
“It was a nice start for us,” said coach Brian Murphy. “We battled back on a cold day. Fell behind, 3-0, but never gave up.”
The Lions reached starter Luke Mathewson, who recorded 14 strikeouts, for three runs in the fifth inning.
“Luke was a bulldog on the mound,” Murphy said.
A balk scored the first run and Justin Veal knocked in two with a single.
Mathewson went seven innings, giving up just eight hits and the three earned runs.
He helped his own cause with an RBI in the sixth inning when the Centaurs tied it up. Tommy Li drove in the run that forced the extra inning.
Peter Spada relieved Mathewson on the hill in the eighth, surrendered a hit, but struck out two to keep the Lions (0-2) at bay.
The Centaurs got the run they needed in the bottom of the inning.
“It was nice to get a win in the home opener,” Murphy said. “The field was a little bumpy and that caused some troubles, but we put together a strong effort.”
Nathan John and Zach Ellsworth added a pair of hits each for the Centaurs.
Golf Win
Woodstock Academy golf coach Rich Garceau, like many in Eastern Connecticut or the northeast for that matter, has just about had his fill of winter.
The long duration of the season has kept a lot of golf courses closed as the spring vacation week looms.
But, somehow, April 5 the Centaurs did manage to squeak in their season opener against Tourtellotte at the Raceway Golf Club.
The results were pretty favorable with the Centaurs winning 6-1.
“Considering we have only practiced once outdoors all season and that was in a driving rain, I was really pleased to have a team score under 200 (strokes),” said Garceau. “With time and patience with the weather we should be competitive.”
The Centaurs recorded only 193 strokes in the victory.
Jack Gelhaus was the medalist for the Centaurs, but lost his match.
Gelhaus was paired up against Tourtellotte’s Jared Belanger who carded a 40, two strokes better than The Academy senior.
The other matches, however, went the Centaurs way.
Mason Stewart won his match, 53-57, over Tony Smith while Owen Borski put together a 16-stroke victory over Seth LaFontaine. Eli Child was only four strokes back of Gelhaus as he carded a 46 in a win over Jordan Bergeron.
“Eli and Jack really stepped up with strong performances. Their grit in the cold was hard not to admire,” Garceau said.
Robert Maheu shot a 53 for the Centaurs to record a forfeit victory.
“The day really showed a high level of mental toughness considering the cold and wind.  The boys certainly could have let it get the better of them and quit mentally but they should resilience and finished strong,” Garceau said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director

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