WEST BRATTLEBORO — The West Brattleboro Association announced its 2017 Community Leader of the Year recipient during its annual Holiday Party on Thursday, Dec. 14, at Dalem's Chalet. The winner of this seventh annual award is the Thurber Family and their Lilac Ridge Farm.
Accpording to a news release, Lilac Ridge Farm has been operating for more than 80 years and is now under the third generation of family management. It keeps a herd of milking cows, which supplies organic milk to the Organic Valley Cooperative. It has conserved all of its acreage so that the land will remain in agricultural and open space use for years and years to come. It raises organic vegetables and eggs, flowers, and luscious pick-your-own strawberries. The family allows the public to cross their land while climbing the trail to Round Mountain. Lilac Ridge was recognized as the Vermont Natural Resources Conservation Farm of the Year in 1997, and the Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Farm of the Year in 2002. They also host the annual Tour de Heifer bicycle event on the Sunday of the Strolling of the Heifers weekend.
Hors d'oeuvres were provided by Dalem's.