During the 3rd quarter of 2020, the Town of Crothersville and Myers Sod Farm were honored by the State of Indiana.
Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced in August that 24 rural Hoosier communities will receive more than $15.3 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure.
Among the communities receiving funding was the Town of Crothersville which was awarded $700,000 for water and sewer improvements. The Crothersville project will build a new wet weather overflow main, install an in-line hydrodynamic storm water separator, construct a duplex wet weather pumping station and force main, modify existing plant surge basins with concrete wall cores, and many other key improvements.
“By investing in our state’s water infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for regional growth and prosperity,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch. “These grants are supporting projects that are crucial to rural communities’ continued economic development and improving the quality of life for its residents.”
“The leadership of these grant recipients embodies strategic planning, hard work and dedication to improving their communities,” said Matt Crouch, Interim Executive Director of OCRA. “Proper planning is necessary to ensure Hoosier’s quality of life can grow as we are coping through a pandemic.”
Also in August, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Red Gold announced the winners of the Red Gold Stewardship award, and Myers Sod Farm of Seymour was awarded 1st place. This presentation, now in its 12th year, is a partnership between Red Gold and the Indiana Dept. of Ag, and is presented to Red Gold growers who value improving soil health and water quality on their operations.
Adam Myers, of Myers Sod Farm, started with an idea and, over the course of 8 years, has grown that idea into a successful business. On their farm, they grow a variety of crops from traditional row crops to tomatoes and sod. They value their land and have implemented several successful conservation practices including grassed waterways, vegetative field borders, water sediment, and control basins.
“Practicing conservation is important on our farm,” said Myers. “We feel that if we take care of the land, it will take care of us.”