Jun 21, 2017
Sustainable agriculture community mourns loss of beloved farmer

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture has issued a statement regarding the death of Roy Lester Brubaker.

“Beloved in the sustainable agriculture community, Roy Lester Brubaker died on June 16 in a farming related accident at his family’s farm in Cuba Mills, Pennsylvania cutting short a life of love and service. Tenth generation to farm within 15 miles of his home, and son of a very early organic farming innovator, Roy spent his childhood establishing deep affections for and commitment to the earth and its inhabitants,” a news release stated.

Roy Lester Brubaker

“Roy’s considerable life energy for the past 35 years was poured into Village Acres Farm, an organic produce and berry farm in Juniata County. Beyond providing a place of sanctuary and learning for his own children, the farm has provided an educational work environment for aspiring young farmers who continue to find Roy a committed mentor and friend long after they leave the farm, many of whom go on to farm for themselves. Roy was heavily involved in the formation of the Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative (TOG), as well as one of the nation’s first organic certification organizations, Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO).  He was also an early member and supporter of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) where, over the years, he has celebrated rich and enduring friendships.  In response to Roy’s passing, Sarah Bay, a young farmer in the PASA community, offered, “Roy’s love and work runs through the veins of this entire farming community.

Through the years, Roy and his wife, Hope, have been recognized with numerous awards for leadership and service in the areas of agricultural innovation and conservation, including PASA’s Sustainable Leadership Award (2010) and being early cooperators with the Juniata County Conservation District. In 1998, daughter Angela worked with Roy to establish the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture program, which diversified the farm in a manner that has supported its long-term viability. The farm has quite a few CSA members who have participated in all 20 years of this program that apportions the farm’s weekly harvest to its members, year round. In 2012, the farm began its transition to Roy’s daughter, Debra, and her family, where the traditions of sustainable agriculture will live on.

Known for his extensive cover cropping, considered an important soil health element for an organic vegetable farm, Roy was most recently involved in PASA’s Soil Health research program. Village Acres has also participated in on-farm research with Penn State University, University of Vermont, and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, testing innovative practices in the field of sustainable and organic agriculture.

In their earlier adulthood, Roy and Hope, spent 12 years with the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities in Somalia and Kenya as educators and community-builders, eventually focusing on work with Somali refugees and building inter-faith relationships between Muslims and Christians. All four of their children were born in Africa. Daughter, Angela now serves as a nurse practitioner in Austin, Texas; son Roy Dale raises pastured beef, lamb and pork, also in Juniata County, also serving as a district forester with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and is active with PASA; daughter Phoebe runs a flower CSA and floral shop in Goshen, Indiana; and, daughter, Debra, will continue to run Village Acres Farm full-time. Debra’s partner, Hannah, serves as the executive director of PASA.

Roy had served as a Mennonite pastor and school administrator for ten years after returning from Africa and lived out his belief in the spiritual calling of conservation-minded farming until his final hour. Roy and Hope had only recently begun investing more time in planning for their own retirement, a primary goal of which was to catch up on the many friendships they had established over their many years of service. They were able to take one retirement trip abroad together in 2016, a honeymoon after 50 years of marriage.

Roy will be sorely missed in the sustainable agriculture community, yet his legacy will live on in the work of many farmers to whom he has provided mentorship and support. His family is committed to continuing to carry out the farm’s mission of “connecting people to their food, the earth and each other.” Those of us who knew him, know the earth is a better place and we are better people for Roy’s love and stewardship.”

Source: PASA

 




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