The Lewis Family of Palmer has been selected the 2008 Farm Family of the Year by the Alaska State Fair and the Alaska agriculture community. The Palmer family will be honored at the Fair Board of Director’s reception on opening day of the Fair, Thursday August 21st, 2008.
The Brad Lewis family has been involved in Alaska agriculture for many years – Brad being the 3rd generation on their Palmer farm. Max Sherrod, Brad’s grandfather, originally came to Palmer as a nurse with the Colonists, but soon purchased acreage of his own and began farming. Brad’s father, Wendell successfully produced 40-50 acres of potatoes and over 20 acres of vegetables.
After graduating from University of Alaska Fairbanks with both a business management and a teaching degree, Brad tried his hand at teaching at Palmer High School. Upon receiving tenure, the call of the farm was too strong, and brought him back to the fields where he had worked since he was a boy. Although in the past the farm has produced lettuce, radishes and a variety of other vegetables, for the past 16 years Brad has been perfecting his 30 acre patch of premium potatoes. For the past two summer’s son Wendel has tried his hand at agriculture by running a successful greenhouse operation, selling corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and flower baskets.
Brad’s wife of 31 years, Pam, keeps the books in order, and when she has her summer break from work at Palmer Middle School jumps in and helps out wherever else she is needed.
Soft-spoken and reserved, Brad is well known for his willingness to immediately come to the aid of other farmers in the community. His generosity extends beyond Alaska; each year Brad & Pam vacation in the Bahamas where Brad has fixed a number of generators, vehicles and other mechanical failures for those in need.
The long-term future of the farm is uncertain, as both sons Wendel & Ryan are pursuing careers in Civil Engineering – Wendel having already graduated from University of Wyoming and Ryan having just finished his junior year at University of Idaho. Proud of their accomplishments, Brad points out that if nothing else, the farm gave them the work ethic that has lead to their success today.
The Farm Family of the Year award, sponsored by the Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union, was established by the Fair in 2000 to honor an Alaska farming family and show appreciation for all the hard working Alaskan’s committed to agriculture in the State. Fair Manager Ray Ritari states: “The Alaska State Fair is pleased to honor a family that exhibits the best of Alaska Agriculture with this award. We think Brad, Pamela and family exemplify the values and have demonstrated their commitment to agriculture on par with previous award winners.”
Nominations are accepted annually, and a committee chaired by the Division of Agriculture selects the winning family based on production of quality Alaska Grown products, community and agricultural organization involvement, and overall image. “This family represents multiple generations of dedication to agriculture in Alaska. Brad’s grandparents, parents, and his own family have played and continue to play a vital role in Alaska’s endeavor to become more self sustainable” says Franci Havemeister, Director of the Division of Agriculture.
Previous Farm Family winners include the Huppert Family (2000), the VanderWeele Family (2001), Havemeister Farms (2002), Rempel Family Farm (2003), P & M Gardens (2004), Calypso Farm & Ecology Center (2005),
Wrigley Farms (2006), and
Insanity Acres (2007).For more information please visit
www.alaskastatefair.org or contact the Fair media center at 907-746-7181 or
mediacenter@alaskastatefair.org.
