Don Wilson Receives Agricultural Award

The following announcement was provided by Wilson Farm.
 
The New England Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers came into being in 1953 as a means of recognizing leaders who have made exceptional contributions to New England agriculture. Each year the Directors of the Eastern States Exposition select a fellowship recipient. This prestigious award is normally given for a lifetime of service to agriculture and the recipient for 2012 is ’s own Donald Wilson.

Wilson, of Lexington, is a third-generation farmer at Wilson Farm. While the term “locavore” was coined in 2005, Wilson Farm has understood the value of locally grown produce for over a 125 years. In 1884 the patriarch of the family, James Alexander Wilson, arrived in the United States from Enniskillen, Ireland. He rented 16 acres of land to raise pigs, vegetables, and establish an orchard. James had three sons and three daughters. James handed the farm down to two of his sons, Walter and Stanley, in the 1920’s they operated the farm much in the same way as James did. In the 1950’s, Stanley’s son Donald, and Walter’s son Alan, took over the day-to-day operations and over the years increased the acreage, expanded the farm stand, and added a location in Litchfield, NH. Now the reins of the farm have been turned over to the fourth generation including Scott (Alan’s son) and Jim (Don’s son).

Don and Alan were instrumental in creating the farm stand in Lexington and Litchfield, NH. Without their vision, and dedication to growing the finest produce around, it is unlikely that Wilson Farm would be one of Lexington’s cornerstone businesses. Today the farm grows more than 125 crops, including a myriad of vegetables, flowers and fresh fruit. The farm stand also has a gourmet kitchen, bakery, butcher shop, cheese shop, and grocery department. Once a tiny little farm stand, Wilson Farm has blossomed into amazing place to shop, highly regarded for its top quality local produce.

Over the years Don Wilson’s impact has extended well beyond the borders of Wilson Farm. His contributions to the town of Lexington, and New England Farming make him a very worthy recipient of recognition from the New England Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers. He has held many key positions and has received numerous awards. Some of the most noteworthy are listed below.

• 28 years on Lexington Housing Board, 6  years as Chairman
• Many years as Town Meeting Member
• Lexington Rotary, two times Paul Harris Fellow
• Farm Bureau Board Member
• Board Member and Past President United Cooperative Farmers
• Massachusetts Agricultural Club, Past President
• Massachusetts Trustee of the Eastern States Exposition since 1977
• Member and Past President New England Vegetable Growers
• Served as director of four banks
• Five years ago founded (with six other partners) Patriot Community Bank in Woburn, MA, serves as Chairman and will be opening their second branch shortly.
• In 1992, Wilson Farm received the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award
• In 2002, Don was voted Outstanding Citizen / White Tricorn Hat Award in Lexington