L. Herbert “Bussie” York of Farmington, center, is recognized in November 202o for 50 years of conservation efforts at county and state levels. Then-Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District Executive Director Rosetta White and District Chairman Henry Hardy present the award. Livermore Falls Advertiser file

FARMINGTON — Family, friends, officials and the agricultural community gathered Tuesday to share memories of longtime farmer L. Herbert “Bussie” York.

The lifelong Farmington resident died July 9 at the age of 86.

Oldest daughter Terry Zacker said her father never thought he was anyone special. “He was just a small-town farmer who worked hard every day to provide for his family and to be one of the many who grew food to sustain others. His life is a testament to hard work and resiliency, to supporting his community and those in it, and to listening to and learning from others he met along the journey.”

York loved Farmington, Zacker said. “He loved serving the town and worked for decades on the town Planning Board, the Farmington Farmers Union, the Grange and was a leader and supporter of several 4-H clubs. He always gave back because he felt he was given so much by the people and community in which he lived.”

Louise McCleery, a licensed lay pastor from Sugarloaf Ministry, said York was “a scientist at heart. He graduated from Farmington High School in 1956 and he was presented the superior scientific scholarship upon graduation. He had a four-year scholarship to a college in New York to study science but he wanted to stay closer to home and he went to the University of Maine at Orono.”

York and his wife, Brenda, started their farm on the Farmington Falls Road where they raised dairy and beef cattle, McCleery noted. She said in their early days together Brenda would drive plow truck for the town during the day while he milked the cows, then they would switch with him plowing and Brenda doing the milking.

“Bussie was all about diversification,” McCleery said.

In 2009, daughter Trudy and her husband, Erik Johnson, opened a year-round farm market that sold milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and mixed grains to feed chickens, according to a Sun Journal article. Another addition that year was a corn maze where people could get exercise and learn about agriculture as they walked through the 10- to 12-foot-high cornstalks.

In 2011, the Yorks were the first farm in Franklin County to erect a high tunnel which helped the family get an earlier start on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to sell at their farm market store, another article said. That year, Sandy River Farms was one of the local farms visited by then U. S. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine. At that time, the farm had switched to organic milk production and recently started to process the milk in their new dairy, with plans to open a farm store to sell produce, meats, baked goods and their own ice cream, the article noted.

York cared about his animals and the land he worked. His involvement and dedication to the local, state and national soil and water conservation districts led him to many longtime close friends that he cherished time with, some for as long as 50 years, Trudy Johnson noted.

In Nov. 2020, York was recognized for 50 years of service to the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District. He was also presented the Distinguished Service Award from the Maine Association of Conservation District’s board. In 1995, York received the NACD Special Service Award.

Daughter Tammy Kelley spoke of a letter her father sent her at Christmas. He never cared about giving presents, favoring giving his advice and lessons learned, she said. His gifts: “My advice to you on life’s problems, which is worth next to nothing. My admiration for all the little and big accomplishments, which is also worth nothing. My criticism, given too often, which you correctly ignored. My concern about your future happiness, which is not my business to start with. And lastly, my total love, of which I expect equal return so this washes out for no gain.”

In 2008, York received Farmington Rotary Club’s annual Entrepreneur award, the Sun Journal reported. While many farmers have cut back or ceased the pursuit, he has been innovative in his field. The 2008 town report for Farmington was dedicated to Brenda and Bussie York, according to another article. After 23 years, in 2010 York retired from the Farmington Planning Board, a separate article reported.

Farmington Selectman Matthew Smith said recently that York “was always very active when I was young, kind of someone who introduced me to public service and some of the importance of it. I just kind of always saw him as a community leader in that aspect.”

“He is one of a small handful of citizens dedicated to his community,” former Selectman Stephan Bunker said. “He has spent many years as a volunteer on a variety of town committees and made a tremendous impact as to how the town was able to progress. Great family, respected businessman, great impact on the agricultural community. Part of a dying generation and he will certainly be missed.”

“He probably was a pioneer, ahead of his times,” Erik Johnson said. “Very progressive in agriculture and always supporting it. Wanting the best for everybody in the Farmington community.”

“I worked with him for 38 plus years,” Johnson said. “He was pretty much an icon. He always looked out for the best interest for other farmers.”

York was a buddy, said Paul Hersey, who served more than 40 years with Natural Resources Conservation Service. “He was always ready to try new things such as no till planting. Leader in the local conservation district for over 50 years as well as at the state level. In spite of his busy schedule, he rarely missed a board meeting. He was a strong supporter of the district having education workshops for landowners.”

“He and Brenda traveled all over the Northeast showing their cattle,” Hersey noted. “After his barn was struck by lightning causing the loss of the barn and the house, hundreds of locals donated time, muscle, food, hay and barn space until Sandy River Farms was back on its feet. He and Brenda traveled all over the country attending meetings and promoting agricultural endeavors.”

York often said, “‘If you do what you love and love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life,'” daughter Terry Zacker said. “Well, he never worked a day because he truly loved what he did.

“As hard as farming is, he embraced the messiness, the drudgery and the successes with the same calm demeanor,” she said.