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Farm Family of the Year nominations open

Alaska State Fair

 Nominations are open for the 2020 Alaska Farm Family of the Year, conducted by the Alaska Division of Agriculture and Alaska State Fair.

The award was established in 2000 to honor an Alaska family that epitomizes the spirit of the farm industry and show appreciation for hard-working Alaskans committed to agriculture and aquaculture.

Two Kenai Peninsula families have been recognized with the honor. Laurie and Brian Olson, owners of Alaska Berries farm and winery, were chosen in 2018.

Brian and Laurie both come from multi-generational farm families, in South Dakota for Brian and eastern Montana, for Laurie. They started farming in 2002 and began Alaska Berries in 2007, down west Poppy lane off K-Beach Road. Today, they sell plants and handcrafted Alaska Grown products, including wine, jam, syrup and juice.

In 2012, Carrol and JoAnne Martin were chosen. The Martins started Diamond M Ranch on K-Beach Road in 1975, where they raised horses, cows, sheep, pigs and goats for 4-H projects. They added lodging to their farm and expanded into turning fish waste into fertilizer. JoAnne was a cooperative extension service agent for 25 years. Carrol was a staple of the local 4-H program, butchering a steer and heading up the annual barbecue, donating proceeds back to 4-H. He was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame.

Carrol died in March. Diamond M Ranch is still in the Martin family.

If you have a farm family to nominate, it’s all being done online this year. Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 15. Submit nominations online.

Jenny Neyman has been the general manager of KDLL since 2017. Before that she was a reporter and the Morning Edition host at KDLL.
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