Cooperative Living March 2023 - 28

FARM LIFE
●●●●●●●● Agriculture Week
by Katie Luckett, Contributing Writer
Past, present and future celebrated on Richardson Farm
A
griculture has played a vital role
in the world for as far back as
society can recall.
Farmers have consistently provided
the food, fuel and fiber that society
needs to survive and thrive in a
sustainable manner. Therefore, National
Agriculture Week is celebrated in the
third week of March to honor the
industry and recognize agriculture's
advances as well as its heritage.
Richardson Farm in Worcester
County, Md., dates to 1767 and is now
run by the eighth, ninth, tenth and
eleventh generations. Roger Richardson
and his wife, Fay, are the current owners
and operators, along with their daughter,
Donna Richardson West; their
grandson, Tom West, and their greatgrandsons,
Thomas and Lane West -
today all playing important roles on
day ll
the farm.
" Dad's always been one
to help people. All of hi
ant
to haul grain, poultry, lumber and meal
- and it is still in operation today.
Roger has served in many leadership
positions throughout his agriculture
career, inspiring his daughter along the
way. " Dad's always been one to help
people, " shares Donna. " All of
his leadership roles began as
a way to help other farmers
and grew to having state and
national impacts. " Most
notably, Roger was appointed
as the Maryland Secretary
of Agriculture from 2007 to
2009 under the [Maryland
Gov. Martin] O'Malley
administration.
Roger has also served on
the Agricultural Stewardship
Commission, National
Association ofFarmer Elected
lected
Committees, American Corn Growers
Association, Maryland Farm Service
Committee, Maryland Agriculture
his
leadership roles began as
a way to help other farm
and grew to having stat
and national impacts. "
-Donna Richardson West
The family business produces corn
and soybeans and the farm totals 3,500
ac es, nclud
acres, including approximately 1,
the arm
pr xi
Rich dson Far
th
ely 1,200
acres leased from others across Soacross Somerset,
Wicomico andWorcester countie
ies.
Richardson Farm has solar panels
their land that power their entireire farm
ha solar panels on
er
and home, and Roger notes that
" Choptank
an
cultura
" Choptank Electric Cooperative
suppor iv ofth
26 ● Cooperative Living ●
supportive ofthis effort. " In 1980
star
Coop ra iv is very
effort. In 1980, Roger
started an agriicultural trucking business
March 202
uck
2023
farmers
state
Stabilization Committee andWorcester
County FarmBureau, to name a few.
In addition to the significant roles Roger
played in agriculture, he also has been
a staple in his local community, serving
on theWorcester County Board of
Education for 10 years and being active
in his church. " It's important to meet
all types ofpeople and diversify yourself
outside ofjust farming, " adds Roger.
Roger's first agricultural leadership
role was helping to found the farmerowned
cooperative SnowHill Grain Inc.
in 1966. He realized the importance
ofcooperatives early on in life when
Choptank Electric Cooperative
(formerly Choptank Cooperative, Inc.)
came toWorcester County in 1941 and
provided electricity to the rural areas
that didn't previously have access.
" I remember the day it was connected
and the big celebration in Princess
Anne, " shares Roger. " My
bration in Princess
r.
" My
er
nd
dad
hadhad
be
petitioning other farmers in our area
to help bring the electric cooperative
to our county, and he was so excited
to see it through. " . "
in our area
elect ic coop ra iv
was so excited
He recounted being able to fix
eing
ayta
to
equipment and build things faster as a
kid in the farm's shop with electricity,
like " hooking up aMaytag motor to theto the
water pump to fill the water trough in
the stalls, rather than filling it by hand, "
build things faster as a
than filli
Forest
the wa er trou
by
in
adds Roger.
Today, the family's home farm inarm in
the Pocomoke Forest is in the current
in the current
Choptank Fiber build-out phase and
has been staked for broadband. The
for broadband. The
farm is set to receive high-speed internet
this spring. " This will elevate our current
apps and programs used on the farm,
as well as the GPS technology in our
equipment, " says Donna. " Having faster
our cur
ms used on the farm,
in our
nn
le
Ha
er
and more reliable internet will allow us
to do more digitally and connect with
low us
tally and connect with
co-opliving.com
PS
en
en
From left, Thomas West, Tom West,
Lane West, Roger Richardson and his
daughter, Donna Richardson West.
Roger Richardson and
Donna Richardson West.
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living March 2023

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