GAINESVILLE — Hughdon and Joan Holley have been farming 47 years, most of them while they worked full time jobs. They have since retired, but not from what they love to do.
Next week Okaloosa County Farm Bureau will officially recognize them as the 2014 Farm Family of the Year for their innovation in farming and conservation.
The Holleys started with 125 acres in the Beaver Creek Community of Okaloosa County, growing corn, soybeans, cotton and peanuts. Today, along with their two sons, their wives and five grandchildren, they have expanded their farm along with their family. Now they work 200 acres of cotton, soybeans, peanuts, grains, fruits and vegetables, and also manage honey bee hives, a cow-calf operation and timber.
Joan and her daughter-in-law, Susan Holley, are familiar faces at the Fort Walton Beach Farmers Market Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, where they sell tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, watermelons, peppers, peaches, plums and whatever else is in season.
Hughdon and Joan grew up on farms and learned early to plan ahead. “Farming is a hard business to be in, as produce prices go up and down along with drought years,” Hughdon said.
With highly erodible land, they lost a lot of soil every time it rained, so the Holleys consulted with Darryl Williams, district conservationist for U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. Williams developed a conservation plan with the Holleys and walked them through the application process for financial assistance that helps pay for conservation practices.
Initially they built a terrace system with grade control and a grass waterway to mitigate the erosion. Then they reduced tilling and planted cover crops to build soil health, which helps retain moisture during droughts, control erosion during large Florida storms and stabilizes crop yields. the 25 years Williams has worked with the Holleys, they have continually made improvements for a more sustainable operation, and they are not finished. This year Williams is helping Susan build a high tunnel greenhouse to extend the growing season and increase their vegetable production by 25 percent. “The Holleys are a dedicated and hardworking family that I enjoy working with every chance I get,” Williams said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County Farm Bureau names Farm Family of the Year