Left to right: Middle South Georgia Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor Grady Thompson Jr., 2018 Tift Co. Conservationist of the Year Lance Golden and Middle South Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor Brian Ponder.

TIFTON — L & J Golden Farms, LLC was recently presented with the title ‘Conservationist of the Year’ by Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District. The 56th Annual Conservationist of the Year Banquet was held at the Colquitt County Extension Office on Thursday, March 8, 2018. During the ceremony, Lance Golden received a certificate for exceptional stewardship of his land in Tift County. He also took home a custom road sign displaying his new title.

Golden grew up on the family farm and truly enjoys being a 3rd generation farmer. He began working on the farm with his dad at a very young age.

His farming operation now consists of 620 acres which produce cotton, peanuts, corn, watermelons, wheat and rye. Lance utilizes strip tillage to reduce erosion and to increase the health of the soil.

 In irrigation, the pivots have been retrofitted from high pressure sprinklers to low pressure drop nozzles in order to reduce evaporation and soil erosion.

Golden also practices crop rotation, cover crops, and nutrient and pest management. Lance attends the UGC Life Church of God in Eldorado and gives God the praise for the blessings in his life, considering it an honor to be a steward of the land.

For more information on Middle South Georgia Soil & Water Conservation District contests, workshops, scholarships and/or grants, email Nikki Robinson, District Program Assistant at nikki.robinson@gacd.us or call 229-263-4116.