Somerset County Park Commission Lord
Stirling Stable (LSS), located at 256 South Maple Avenue in Basking Ridge, New
Jersey, has been selected as a “Gold Medal Horse Farm” by the New Jersey Equine
Environmental Stewardship Program (NJEESP). Lord Stirling Stableis only the fourth
facility in the state to earn this honor.
The NJEESP is a joint project of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment
Station at Rutgers University (NJAES), the Rutgers Equine Science Center, and
the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA).
The Gold Medal Horse Farm program and award recognizes
outstanding equine farms for management practices; stewardship of the land; the
health, safety, and well-being of the horses; programming; and dedication to
environmental sustainability. Further, it underscores the efforts of the New
Jersey equine industry to maintain the beauty of the Garden State.
“Stable staff works very hard to ensure that we take proper
care of our horses, protect our land, and provide a rewarding riding experience
for our guests,” commented Stable Manager Marge Margentino. “The Gold Medal
Award is a tribute to their efforts.”
Established in 1968, Lord
Stirling Stable is located on the site of the former John Jacob Astor estate
within the Great Swamp Watershed. It is
home to 80 horses and ponies and serves the recreational equestrian needs of
Somerset and nearby counties.
The award recognizes the
Stable’s accomplishments including a new Nutrient Management plan developed to
benefit the stable and the entire park system. The on-site composting facility
transforms manure and stable waste into an organic, nutrient-rich material
which is used to fertilize the pastures and plants at all Somerset County Park
locations
Additional management
practices include non-chemical control of weeds, dragging pastures to break up
manure, pasture renovation, and daily removal of manure from smaller paddocks
and turnouts.
Lord Stirling Stable joins Woodhollow Farm (2014), D’Arrigo
Racing Stable LLC (2013) and Showplace Farms (2012) as the state’s only Gold
Medal Horse Farms.
The award
presentation is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2015 beginning at 5:00
P.M. at Cook Campus Center, 59 Biel Road, New Brunswick, NJ.
Information on all Somerset
County Park Commission activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org.
Like us on Facebook and Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment