In March I received a call from Frank Green, the Program Administrator for the Georgia Tree Farm Program, informing me that Harrison Woodlands, LLC and I had been selected as the 2021 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. (Note: The terms Tree Farm of the Year and Tree Farmer of the Year are used interchangeably.)
He told me the award presentation would be in Hilton Head, SC at the 2021 Annual Conference of the Georgia Forestry Association in July.
We were honored to be selected for this award from among the nearly 2000 certified Tree Farms in the state.
Frank scheduled a video shoot for May 8 with a videographer, drone pilot, and representatives from the Tree Farm Program, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and our forester Jeff Greene with United Forestry Consultants.
The video shoot took most of the day and we were all pleased with the professional quality of the final eight minute video. It is posted on the Georgia Tree Farm Program website (see link in press release below) and YouTube.
Joni and Ashley quickly agreed for their entire families to join us in Hilton Head for a combination vacation and award reception. Jean and I attended the various conference meetings while the children and grandchildren enjoyed the beach.
The award presentation was at the awards breakfast on July 17. As the photo below shows, we had everyone in the family present at the breakfast except the three smallest grandchildren—Texas, Marjorie, and Pippa.
The presentation was made by Aaron Burton, the Georgia Tree Farm Program Chair. He invited the family members to accept the awards that consisted of a plaque, a bowl crafted from a longleaf pine handhewn beam from a circa. 1880 farm house, with a brass tag inscribed with my name and the occasion, and a sign commemorating the award that will be placed on one of our entrance gates. The note that came with the bowl (donated by Ed and Jan Withrow) reads, in part: “The Longleaf Pine, native to our state, stands for stability, longevity, and strength and so do the Tree Farmers in our state and throughout our nation. Our Tree Farmer of the Year for 2021 in Georgia demonstrates these same qualities.”
Photo of bowl, sign, and plaque
Henry and Stella with sign
Update: Friday, 1/21/22, a rainy and very cold day, I framed the sign with cypress (which should age naturally to blend with the fence) and installed it on the main gate at the McLendon Farm
Photo showing Tree Farm, Stewardship Forest, and Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year signs with Joni’s sign she painted years ago for the main entrance
Andres Villegas, the President and CEO of the GFA graciously invited the entire family to the stage for a photo with him and Aaron, and the grandchildren loved it.
On behalf of our family, I am thanking the Tree Farm Program and the Georgia Forestry Association for the award.
Our family with Andres Villegas (l) and Aaron Burton (r)
In addition to the various parts of the award presentation, I have a seat on the Executive Board of the Georgia Tree Farm Program.
Below is the press release from the American Tree Farm System with a photo from the awards presentation.
Frank sent the press release to the local paper “The Journal,” which covers Marion, Schley, Chattahoochee, Webster, and Stewart counties and they published his document in its entirety, including the color photo on the front page of the August 18, 2021 issue.
In early September Jeff Greene called and told me Wiregrass Land and Living Magazine, a publication of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, was doing a feature article in the upcoming issue on his company, United Forestry Associates. He asked for permission to discuss his company’s relationship with Harrison Woodlands, LLC as part of the article, which I quickly granted. Following is the cover of the magazine, showing the title of the article and the Julie Strauss Bettinger’s four page article from the Fall, 2021 issue.
We were very well pleased with the Julie’s finished product and are grateful for Jeff Greene and United Forestry Consultants including us in their story. Julie took her information on our LLC from the Tree Farmer of the Year video and discussions with Jeff. Her article accurately describes the Tree Farm Program and the valuable contribution this organization provides to family tree farmers.
Thanks Julie, Jeff, and United Forestry Consultants!
