William F . Willard , Sr . accepts the Maryland Governor ’ s Agricultural Hall of Fame honor on behalf of the Willard Family .
Rural Roots
Willard Family honored by Governor Wes Moore
by James Clifford
Long before the creation of the Agricultural Reserve , there were farm families in Northeastern and Western Montgomery County that farmed tens of thousands of acres as they carried on their farming heritage . To this day Montgomery County has many of these same farm families passing their passion for farming to the next generation . Agriculture is a priority use for much land throughout the state of Maryland . The state annually selects for the Governor ’ s Agricultural Hall of Fame a different farm family in Maryland that has demonstrated a commitment to farming and has contributed to Maryland ’ s rich farming tradition . Poolesville has such a family whose headquarters and grain storage bins are located within a stone ’ s throw of the Poolesville town hall . For more than
150 years the Willard family has grown food and acted as stewards of the farmland in the Poolesville area . Beginning with their progenitor Dewalt J . Willard who settled in 1871 on 675 acres on what is now West Willard Road , the family has continued to build upon this family farming tradition . Many of the buildings in Poolesville proper were built by the Willard family as they also did business in town as retail shop owners , John Deere dealers , farming supplies and agricultural services .
Governor Moore along with the Maryland Secretary of Agriculture , a dozen or more members of the Maryland legislature and hundreds of farmers and guests all gathered in the event hall at the Live Casino in the Arundel Mills mall for the annual Taste of Maryland to honor the Willard
family by inducting the family into the Governor ’ s Agricultural Hall of Fame . William Willard , Sr ., and William Willard , Jr . were present to accept this high honor along with many members of their family who were in attendance . The Willards have joined the Stablers and the Lithicum families , all of Montgomery County , in the Governor ’ s Agricultural Hall of Fame .
Recently Montgomery County recognized the honor bestowed on the Willard family in a County Council resolution . The Willards and the Agricultural Reserve have much to be proud of in the Willard family receiving this great honor .
James Clifford is a land use attorney and farmer in the Agricultural Reserve . He specializes in land issues relating to farms . He has served on a variety of committees that have dealt with Ag Reserve legislation and policy and closely follows all things agriculture in upper Montgomery County .
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