Family honored with farming award

David Patrick hasn't missed a Maryland State Fair since he began showing cattle when he was 11 years old.

Now 77, Patrick stays busy with his family's dairy cattle operation, Maple Dell Farm, as well as with a number of other activities.

Located in Woodbine, the farm was named back in his grandfather's day after a maple tree-covered meadow on the property, Patrick said.

He grew up in the 4-H Club program, which he said is no longer just a farm organization, and has helped successive generations of 4-H-ers, including his seven children.

''I think I gained a lot," he said. ''I need to give."

The Patricks give back by giving tours of the farm and by using techniques such as no-till farming and planting grain in the fall to minimize land from eroding and washing into Brighton Dam and the Chesapeake Bay.

''You need everybody working to preserve the goodness of the bay," he said.

The Patrick family was one of two families recognized last month for their dedication to farming by being inducted into the Governor's Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Being a member of the hall of fame is not just about working the farm, it's also about serving the community, Patrick said.