The Infante Farm was selected as the recipient of the 2025 Bill and Dorothy Pettit Farm Stewardship Award, which goes to owners of preserved farms.
The Burlington County Commissioners recognized a North Hanover farm for its outstanding land management and stewardship efforts.
The Infante Farm was selected as the recipient of the 2025 Bill and Dorothy Pettit Farm Stewardship Award, presented to the owner of a preserved farm that demonstrates a strong commitment to agricultural production and land stewardship.
County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation, Parks and Farmland Preservation, presented the award to Joe Infante and his family during the commissioners’ meeting on March 11.
“Burlington County is proud of the tens of thousands of acres of farmland that we’ve successfully protected, but we know the job of maintaining this land and keeping it productive falls to our farmers,” Eckel said. “Good stewardship takes a lot of time, hard work and resources.
“We are grateful for farmers like the Infante family who are making this effort and setting an example for other farmers and landowners to follow,” she added. “We commend you for all you do to keep Burlington County green, beautiful and productive.”
Located off Croshaw Road in North Hanover, the 91-acre Infante Farm – formerly the Parker Farm – entered the county’s Farmland Preservation Program in 2007. Upon purchasing their property in 2008, the Infante family restored the farmhouse and converted the former grain farm into a successful field and hoophouse nursery operation.
The family transformed the farm again in 2019, putting the land into sod and row crop production. Former hoophouse sites were restored, and a center pivot irrigation system was installed. Such modern irrigation systems are considered to be more environmentally friendly because they maximize water-use efficiency. The systems can also be used to more precisely apply fertilizer, which reduces potential leeching into groundwater.
In addition to those investments, the Infantes corrected significant erosion areas on the property through ditch maintenance and other activities.
