Visually Impaired Farmer Puts Conservation First
Dennis Day has always been a pioneer. He manages Rathmel Run Farms which has more than 2,000 acres and created the only elk hunting preserve in Jefferson County. However, he was forced to adapt to life’s surprises when 7 years ago he began to lose his sight.
Dennis Day has always been a pioneer. He manages Rathmel Run Farms which has more than 2,000 acres and created the only elk hunting preserve in Jefferson County. However, he was forced to adapt to life’s surprises when 7 years ago he began to lose his sight. He created a vegetable farm and a hunting lodge around his house and put his all into them as he began to work with NRCS on a Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract to install pollinator habitat. He started many of his vegetables in greenhouses, so the next step was a high tunnel through USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Using his adaptability and creativity, Dennis designed raised beds and an irrigation system to fit his changing needs.
When considering his next steps, Dennis decided he would give control of 60 acres to a friend, Jeff Snyder. He continued to help his friend as he installed a fence on an old, reclaimed strip mine for Jeff.
Dennis’s generosity was on full display as he agreed to hold the Civil Rights Quarterly meeting on July 11th. He called 2 days ahead of time to assure us that he had already started cooking for lunch!
Excitement and awe set in when we arrived. He showed us his gardens and we could see the differences right away! The changes were clear as they saw no pests in sight and the hard work put into ensuring successful farming was on full display. Suzanne Killinger speaks about getting to know Dennis Day as she says, “He is a pioneer and will continue to adapt and excel at anything life hands him.”