PRESERVING A 250 YEAR FAMILY FARM LEGACY.

Farmer and former Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Roger Richardson and his family have farmed on Maryland’s Eastern Shore since 1767. They remain steadfast about ensuring the land stays healthy and productive for the next 250 years.

The family legacy began on 60 acres, primarily woodlands. Little by little, the farm has grown to more than 3,000 acres. Richardson, 81, is the ninth generation of his family to steward the operation. Along with his daughter and son-in-law (the 10th generation) and grandsons (the 11th generation), Richardson’s family  grows corn, soybeans and wheat on land in three southeastern Maryland counties, surrounded by water on three sides.

He is a staunch proponent of Maryland agriculture and farmers’ dedication to producing quality food, feeding the world and protecting the environment.

“The first environmentalists were farmers,” Richardson says. “They understood more than anyone else that if you don’t take care of the land, it won’t take care of you. The land is the resource that has been good to our family for 250 years. We don’t take that for granted.”

Managing the different soil types, especially the abundant sandy soils, of Maryland’s Eastern Shore is challenging, Richardson admits. Switching to no-till helped minimize soil erosion and reduce production costs, but managing nutrients was difficult until he started using N-Serve® nitrogen stabilizer.

“You can’t see it, but we know that if nitrogen is not put deeply enough into the soil, especially sandy soils, it will leach and vaporize,” Richardson says. “N-Serve is a big help in stopping that.”
Given current commodity prices, controlling costs also is important.

“You have to closely watch expenses with any crop, but nitrogen is an asset you need to raise corn,” Richardson says. “N-Serve will lock it (nitrogen) in. It’s invisible, which makes it difficult to give a perfect answer to quantify yield benefit, but we feel strongly it has helped, especially last year with all the rain. We had some of the best corn yields we’ve ever had.”

Richardson is pleased with how well N-Serve® nitrogen stabilizer works to keep nitrogen in place for corn uptake. He also knows it’s the right thing to do to protect water quality and his family’s farming legacy.

“If you want to increase yield, nitrogen is the key to that, and N-Serve is the key to keeping nitrogen where it should be,” Richardson says. “I also like that N-Serve helps protect our precious natural resources. We consider N-Serve an investment, not just for yields, but also to help sustain this land for another 250 years.” BY DOW AGROSCIENCES.