Ginger Roberts was a bit too modest when reflecting on the accomplishments her husband, Glen, and she have accumulated through the years. THERE WAS plenty of other hardware given out during the meeting. STERLING and his family also were recognized as Allen County’s 2015 Farm Family of the Year. A PACKED house at the Iola High School commons area also heard from Jill Casten, senior director for education and training.
“It’s taken us 91 years to get them,” she joked.
The Robertses were named Lifetime Achievement Award recipients by Kansas Farm Bureau’s third district Wednesday, at the annual Allen County Farm Bureau meeting.
Layne Sterling, ACFB board president, rattled off the list of the Robertses’ accomplishments.
Through the years, they’ve been named the KFB District 3 Farm Family of the Year, as well as the District 3 Leader and Woman of the Year, and received the Kansas Banker Award.
In addition, Glen and Ginger have represented their neighbors on the Allen County Soil Conservation Board, Humboldt FFA Advisory Board, the United/Heartland Rural Electric Board, the Allen Community College Trustees and Endowment Association boards, the Allen County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Kansas Wheat Commission. They’ve also been active participants in the Republican Party.
“They’ve been busy,” Sterling said, shortly before noting Glen Roberts recently celebrated his 91st birthday.
Six generations of the Roberts family have been a part of the Allen County agriculture community, earning the family the coveted Century Award as well.
Bernita Berntsen and her family also were recognized by KFB District 3 as its 2015 Natural Resource Award winner in honor of the Berntsens’ work to maintain more than 4,300 acres of farmland throughout Allen County.
In addition to raising cattle, the Berntsens grow more than 1,350 acres of dryland crops, such as corn, soybeans and wheat, while maintaining other meadows and pasture lands.
“Soil and water quality measures have always been a top priority,” Sterling said. “They understand the value of keeping soil where it belongs to minimize water runoff. They’ve demonstrated their interest in water quality for protection as well as farm chemical management. The family has been strategic in keeping forests and wetland areas.”
In addition to growing crops, handling livestock and maintaining pastureland and meadows, Layne Sterling has been active with Farm Bureau for years.
He’s served on Allen County’s Board of Directors for seven years, the past five as ACFB president.
Farming legacies honored
