Deena C. Bouknight – Contributing Writer
Adam Huscusson learned months ago that his farm business, H&H Farms, was chosen among farms throughout the entire state of North Carolina as the “2022 Outstanding N.C. Conservation Farm Family.” A showcase video on H&H, filmed by the Farm Bureau of Macon County, began airing on YouTube and has garnered 12,000-plus views.
To celebrate the state-wide honor, hundreds of people gathered at the Moss Valley Venue on May 9. H&H is the first Macon County business to receive the N.C. Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (NCASWCD) recognition in the organization’s nearly 50 years of existence. (See May 4 Macon County News article for background.)
Adam Huscusson’s humility has prompted the recently retired 15-year fire fighter to pronounce, “If I had known how much attention this would draw to me, I may not have allowed my name to be included.”
However, the farm business that he and his wife, Katy, and his father, Harold Huscusson, as well as both sides of the family, have worked was nominated by the local Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District and H&H became a contender and then the winner of the coveted award. Several people in attendance at the May 9 mid-day event spoke of the reasons why H&H was selected. Generally, H&H piqued the district office’s attention due to such best farm management practices as planting cover crops, fencing livestock out of creeks, installing livestock watering systems, rotating cropland and pasture land, stream restoration, and more.
County Manager Derek Roland expressed that he was not surprised by the honor bestowed on H&H.
“I have had the privilege of knowing these families my whole life,” he said. “Adam and I graduated high school together … played football together. And Adam was then and is now a true gentleman who has never wanted recognition, but who has always been hard working … tough as a pine knot. He has a never-give-up spirit, and he poured everything into this [farm business] while also maintaining responsibility for the land.”
“We didn’t strive for recognition; recognition came to us,” said Harold.
“The resources in our area are finite,” Adam pointed out. “There’s not much farmland, so we have to take care of the farmland we do have. And although this is an honor to me in an extreme, the main thing is to do the very best we can and take pride in what we do.”
When asked if any one person mentored Adam when he began farming, he offered, “There are so many good farmers in this room that I’ve called on to help me along. Everyone in here has gotten us where we are.”
He also conveyed to the crowd that he was up before sunrise to tackle responsibilities on the farm before the award celebration began and that he was ready to return.
“A little fellow inside me wants to be outside working on the farm,” he shared.
Katy sang the National Anthem a cappella at the awards’ ceremony, and attending guests included Macon County commissioners, N.C. State Rep. Karl Gillespie, Sheriff Brent Holbrooks, representatives from Raleigh’s N.C. Division of Agriculture & Consumer Services, and many more. Sarah Clancy, soil conservationist for the district, who was on the nominating committee for the award, oversaw the organization of the May 9 event.
