Congratulations Donna Newman, Seven Oaks Farm!
Donna Newman, owner and operator of Seven Oaks Farm, has been a cooperator with Calvert Soil Conservation District since 2004, when she reached out to the district for assistance with fencing. She has an 11.4-acre property for her 3 horses, 2 mini donkeys, and some chickens.
Donna goes the extra mile to conserve natural resources by taking advantage of the district’s programs and assistance. Her horses are rotationally grazed among 7 pastures and temporary fencing creates diversions within the larger pastures. This allows her to customize pasture sizes while rotating horses and prevents overgrazing. Temporary fencing is also used to stockpile one pasture during winter months.
Donna applied for EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program), a federal program that offers farmers technical assistance and financial support to implement conservation practices. The EQIP-supported practices benefit not only the landowner, but the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed, by reducing erosion and nutrient runoff. Before installing 3 watering facilities, heavy use areas and 800-ft of livestock pipeline with EQIP, Donna was manually transporting water with a truck/ATV to the pastures that did not have water access. After installing these features, she has reduced many resource concerns on the property.
She further takes conservation into her own hands by implementing Resource Improvements (RIs). These are projects that are farmer-installed and still offer some credit to the WIP. She has put in RIs such as a waste storage facility with composting, and barnyard clean water diversions. She also has a sacrifice lot – an area reserved where livestock are corralled during inclement weather to protect grazing pastures from damage.
Donna has been a pleasure to work with, especially with equine planners Eileen Beard and Taylor Clarkson, and conservation technicians Amaya Remmel and Luke Mudd. She always welcomes us to her property to seek further improvements. For example, in 2024, she welcomed County, State, and Federal staff to her property for a Pasture Grazing Tour and Training, showcasing how prescribed grazing can benefit an equine farm.
Looking ahead, Donna aims to continue her sustainable horse operation with prescribed grazing and improved water resources in all pastures. Her next project is to add wildlife habitat plantings for pollinators, again using EQIP. She is an excellent example of how to transform your land to make it the best it can be. We are so appreciative of her efforts and look forward to highlighting her work at the 2026 Calvert Soil Conservation Annual Dinner Meeting. Congratulations for being selected 2025 Cooperator of the Year!
