Maia Bellon | Future Generations
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To me, it’s not what’s been done, it’s who I’ve reached across the aisle to shake hands with.
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Dan and Judy Bartelheimer | Responsible Stewardship
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We all have a lot to learn, things are constantly evolving. We’ve got to learn to compromise, we’re here on this earth together and we all have to learn to cooperate.
Read MoreJeff Ellingsen | Positive Conservation
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To keep farming profitable in Snohomish County along with improving the environment, saving farmland while increasing fish populations and habitat.
Read MoreSteve Van Valkenburg | Agriculture
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To see the young people - my sons, some of my students (including Spencer Fuentes, Mark Lovejoy, Andrew Albert) - come up into agriculture, a tough industry, warms the heart and gives hope for the future.
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Spencer and Karen Fuentes | Adventure
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I have been striving to farm the land in a sustainable manner, such as using cover crops on our fields. I'd like to think the land is as good if not better than when I started farming it in 2004.
Read MoreWiard & Jean Groeneveld | Enduring Legacy
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We have kept the legacy of farming alive in our family for another generation and hopefully longer.
Read MoreCam Allen | Family & Farming
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I think using and nurturing our amazing soil and feeding my family with the abundance that the garden produces, has made the biggest difference.
Read MoreJack McManis | Youth & Community
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My intimate experiences in nature have given me a deep respect for the local natural resources we work to preserve.
Read MoreMark Craven | Steward
/What's your connection to the land?
As a farmer, I'm given the opportunity to be a steward. It is a privilege to make a living off the land, and a responsibility to take care of it for those who come after. We don't really own it. Having one's name on a farm gives us the opportunity to make choices, good choices, for now and for future generations.
What actions have you taken as a steward that you're most proud of and/or that you feel have made the biggest difference?
Serving on the Snohomish Conservation District Board of Supervisors and now serving as the president of the WA Association of Conservation Districts gives me the opportunity to meet and talk with decision-makers to get more funding for ALL Washington conservation districts - to help make a difference for the future statewide.
What’s your hope for the next 75 years? And/or what advice do you have for those next 75 years?
My hope is that we can get the funding we need to get done the work that needs to be done. We're not getting enough funding fast enough to save or restore lands we need to, whether agriculture, habitat, or forestry lands. Our natural resources are so important in this state. If we don't restore and protect them NOW, we won't have them in 75 years. My advice is to work better together and listen to each other, to find our common goals and compromise more quickly. Now things are moving in a more positive direction. There is better collaboration and I see better partnerships now than I have in the past.
Who are you?
- Name: Mark Craven
- Where is home? Snohomish - Craven Farm
Mark Craven meeting President Gerald R. Ford during the FFA Leadership Conference in Washington DC. At the time, Mark was the Washington State President of FFA (Future Farmers of America). July 1976
Dave Somers | Our Future
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We expect an increase of 200,000 people in the next 20 years. We’ve got to work hard to make sure we’re protecing our land and water.
Read MoreJon Stevens | Joy & Gratitude
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I am a sixth generation farmer from the midwest. My family started growing spearmint in the late 1800’s in Ohio - a new industry in the area.
Read MoreJeremy Visser | Soil Health
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My grandfather always said (referring to their dairy herd) -You take care of the girls, and they’ll take care of you.
Read MoreChris Berg | Share & Teach
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To make sure we maintain the property for future generations, and that people take pride in it. That we continue to plant trees, trim the trees and provide good habitat.
Read MoreDuane Weston | Working Forests --- Yes!
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There is a huge added benefit in maintainingsustainable managed forestland for society.
Read MoreBrian Bookey | Balanced Approach
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For people to stand up to the challenge of maintaining a viable ag industry as well as maintaining an agricultural land base to support it.
Read MoreRyan Hembree | Bounty & Opportunity
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My hope is that there will always be a place for larger scale agriculture, as consumers look for more unique food and beverages.
Read MoreTristan Klesick | Stewardship
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It's kinda cool to be on a farm that has been farmed for 140 years. I would like to know, for instance, who planted the English walnut in the yard that produces 1000 pounds of walnuts for us every year.
Read MoreAdam Farnham | Good dirt!
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I am an avid equestrian. Healthy land is important for horse health. Similarly, proper horsekeeping is a benefit to the land.
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Yolimar Rivera | Appreciate Nature
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I hope that the rising generation and the upcoming ones, learn from our current and past generations and develop a better sense of appreciation and caring for the environment we live in to the point where the connection to the land/nature becomes a way of living and not just a view.
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