Corbin Hall Farm in Middlesex County near the small waterfront community of Water View was one of 10 winners of the Virginia Grand Basin Clean Water Farm Awards for 2025, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced recently.
These awards recognize outstanding agricultural operations across the state for their leadership in soil and water conservation, a release stated. Each of the distinguished farms represent one of Virginia’s major river basins.
“Virginia’s farmers are environmental stewards whose innovation and hard work sustain both our economy and natural resources,” said Youngkin.
Administered by the Virginia Department of Conservation in partnership with Virginia’s 47 soil and water conservation districts, the Clean Water Farm Awards honor exceptional farmers who demonstrate innovative best management practices that protect soil health and water quality across Virginia. These practices include no-till practices, planting cover crops, establishing rotational grazing practices and alternative watering systems.
“Protecting water quality is one of the most important environmental challenges of our time, and Virginia’s farmers are meeting that challenge head-on,” said state Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Stefanie Taillon.
Virginia’s soil and water conservation districts provide technical assistance and guidance to farmers seeking to implement or expand conservation practices on their operation.
In the Rappahannock River valley and operated by Ronnie Russell and his nephew Evan Perry, Corbin Hall Farm was nominated by the Tidewater Soil and Water Conservation District.
With over 350 years of agricultural production, Corbin Hall Farm stands as a pillar of environmental and historical stewardship, the release stated. The farm encompasses over 2,000 acres comprised of approximately 1,500 acres of cropland, 250 acres of pastureland, and 293 acres of woodlands, marshlands, ponds and homesites.
“Despite the changes in ownership, Russell and his family have remained an indispensable presence in farm operations for 66 years and counting,” the release said. “They maintain a nutrient management plan, a conservation plan and three resource management plans. They utilize conservation crop rotation to improve soil health, manage pest and disease, enhance weed control, and increase crop yields due to better nutrient availability and increasing the soil’s microbial diversity. The most useful advance in farming for Corbin Hall was their adoption of a no-till planting system. The property has over 100 acres of vegetated buffers and utilizes rotational grazing during the growing season and range on cover crop acreage in the winter, minimizing supplemental feed needs. Corbin Hall Farm hosts agricultural education opportunities for school groups and supports Virginia Cooperative Extension’s on-farm research. Ronnie Russell and Evan Perry’s continued contributions to local water quality, conservation and education exemplify their dedication to Virginia’s agriculture community.”