Schillinger farm family honored as QA 'Cooperator of the Year'

CENTREVILLE — On Sept. 26, the annual Queen Anne’s Soil Conservation District hosted their banquet to honor the top farm in the county being recognized as the “Cooperator of the Year” for 2023. This year’s honoree was the James D. Schillinger family, owners of Schillinger Farm, Inc., located in the northeastern portion of Centreville.

The award goes to the Queen Anne’s County farm that is not only very successful in producing a profitable agriculture venture, but also practices a variety of sound environmental methods that help conserve the farm lands from a number of hazards. Those practices are preventing soil erosion through sediment run-offs, wetland creation, grassed waterways, riparian herbaceous cover, nutrient management, soil and water conservation planning, cover crops, no-till, and minimal tillage. Schillinger Farm has saved 137 tons of soil — 6,475 lbs. of nitrogen reduction and 342 lbs. of phosphorus per year.

The banquet began with Conservation District Executive Director Tony Riggi welcoming the nearly 100 guests to the banquet, hosted at the Centreville American Legion, Jeff Davis Post 18. Riggi introduced Chairman of the Board Steve Freeman, who introduced a number of guests.

A wonderful hot meal was provided by volunteers from Post 18, which included delicious roast turkey, pork roast, mashed potatoes, peas and string beans, stuffing, and dinner rolls. Cake was provided for dessert.

Following the meal, Conservation District assistant Joe Pippin read the history of the Schillinger Farm family’s accomplishments — a long history which began on the western shore. Jimmy’s great grandfather bought their home farm from the Baltimore Coal Company in 1881 (Papa John Produce, off of Rt. 97). They grew apples, tobacco, and sweet potatoes. With a huge market for sweet potatoes, they would sell 25,000 boxes of sweet potatoes before Thanksgiving. When Jimmy was a junior in high school his father went to work for the State Tobacco Authority and told Jimmy it was up to him to run the farm.

“Jimmy began to expand the business by incorporating more variety of vegetables, fruits, flowers and building greenhouses on the farm. They had 36 greenhouse on the farm at one time, and 22,000 hanging baskets of flowers. . . They would sell to grocery stores like Giant Foods, and Grauls Markets,” Pippin read.

Jimmy met his wife, Gina, when she came to work on the farm when she was 14. She had many jobs on the farm, including cashier, inventory and logistics, delivery driver, and security guard.”

In 1987, the state began to buy some property from the farm to build the new Old Mill High School” (in Millersville). It was then, as major developments began to happen in that portion of Anne Arundel County, that the Schillinger’s considered moving to Queen Anne’s County to continue farming. In 1995, they purchased “the Price Farm” on 301. Since then, they have purchased a few more farms and switched their farming operation to mainly grain crop rotation of 1,100 acres while still doing some vegetables and 380 flower hanging baskets.

Sons J.D. and Brady Schillinger plan to carry on the farming operation and are currently starting their own beef herd. The Schillinger family has continued to be stewards of the land throughout the years. They are conserving the land and water with practices previously mentioned.

Among those presenting awards to the Schillinger’s during the event program; NRCS (National Resource Conservation Service) state representative Suzy Daubert presented a certificate of accomplishment, State Delegate Jay Jacobs presented a proclamation from the Eastern Shore delegation, Maryland Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Hans Schmidt presented a certificate of recognition, and Freeman who presented a plaque and outdoor metal sign to be posted on the farm recognizing Schillinger Farm as the 2023 Cooperator of the Year.