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2010 Growing Green Awards Winners

Winners were selected by a panel of sustainable food experts, chaired by Susan Clark, Executive Director of the Columbia Foundation. Winners were celebrated on April 29, 2010 at the Growing Green Awards gala "From Water to Farm to You" in San Francisco.

Click for information on the 2012 awards. >>

FOOD PRODUCER

Russ Lester
Dixon Ridge Farms / Winters, CA

Co-owner of Dixon Ridge Farms, the largest handler of organic walnuts in the U.S., Russ Lester has dramatically reduced environmental impacts from the orchard to the final stages of processing, with the goal of becoming 100% self-sufficient by 2012. Dixon Ridge walnuts are grown without harmful chemicals, amid carefully selected cover crops and irrigation systems that minimize the need for tillage and reduce global warming pollution. Lester converts walnut shells into energy, reducing waste and creating electricity to be used in other stages of walnut processing.

Read Russ Lester's blog post, From Conventional Walnut Farming to Growing (and Processing) Green

BUSINESS LEADER

Karl Kupers
Shepherd's Grain / Harrington, WA

Co-founder of Shepherd's Grain LLC, Karl Kupers aims to reconnect growers and consumers through the sale of sustainably farmed wheat from more than 30 growers throughout the Northwestern U.S. Shepherd’s Grain fosters environmental and community health by requiring no-tillage growing methods, which reduce global warming pollution and increase soil productivity for generations to come. With a pioneering pricing model, Shepherd’s Grain has empowered its growers to profit from higher levels of environmental stewardship.

Read Karl Kupers' blog post, Shepherd's Grain: Reconnecting Producers and Consumers through a New Food System

THOUGHT LEADER

Fred Kirschenmann
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture / Pocantico Hills, NY

President of the Board of Directors for Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Fred Kirschenmann was integral in the establishment of this unique nonprofit that advances community-based food production. Stone Barns Center operates as a farm, kitchen, laboratory and teaching campus for nearby New York City residents. A third-generation farmer, Kirschenmann engages chefs, scientists, growers and corporate executives about the need for local food systems that work in harmony with nature and human health.

Read Fred Kirschenmann's blog post, Spreading Fresh Thoughts about Food and Farming in New York

WATER STEWARD

Mike Benziger
Benziger Family Winery / Glen Ellen, CA

Founder of Benziger Family Winery, Mike Benziger is a leader in the Biodynamic farming movement. Utilizing an innovative constructed wetland and pond treatment system, Benziger Winery recycles an average of 2 million gallons of water per year. Benziger decreases water inputs using new grape sorting technologies, water sensors and cover crops to decrease runoff. He educates growers across the U.S. about nurturing the environment while producing character-rich, high-quality wines.

Read Mike Benziger's blog post, Water: The Lifeblood in the Body of a Biodynamic Winery

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Growing Green Awards | 2011 Winners | 2010 Winners | 2009 Winners

last revised 10/31/2011