Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farm Market of York County is the 2022 recipient of the Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award. Given in honor of conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat resources in their care.

In Pennsylvania, the $10,000 award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

The Flinchbaugh family was revealed as the award's recipients at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. It received $10,000 and a crystal award for being selected.

Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farm Market includes a retail farm market, picnic pavilion and seasonal events that attract thousands of visitors. While there, three generations of Flinchbaughs educate their guests on how conservation benefits their food, water and environment.

Cover crops, grass buffers, no-till practices and precision agriculture technology are central to how the crop fields and orchards are managed. Siblings Mike and Andrew Flinchbaugh and Julie Keene, are continuing the stewardship practices begun by their recently retired parents, Ritchie and Sonia. In addition, Mike, Andrew, and Julie each serve on local and regional committees that promote agricultural conservation.

Pennsylvania landowners were encouraged to apply or be nominated for the award in early 2022. Applications were reviewed by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation leaders.

Among the Pennsylvania landowners nominated for the award were finalists Dotterer Farms of Mill Hall in Clinton County and Troy Firth of Spartansburg in Crawford County. The 2021 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award was presented to Brubaker Farms of Mount Joy in Lancaster County.

The Leopold Conservation Award in Pennsylvania is made possible through the support of American Farmland Trust, The Heinz Endowments, Horizon Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Sand County Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, EDPR NA Distributed Generation, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts and The Nature Conservancy.

Sand County Foundation presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 25 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. For more information, visit http://www.leopoldconservationaward.org.