The White House honors famous farmer

PUBLISHED ON

March 3, 2011

One of my heroes, Wendell Berry, was awarded the National Humanities Medal yesterday at the White House by President Obama.

Berry, 76, is a farmer and activist from Kentucky who has written more than 40 books. He just spent a long weekend  at a sit-in at the Kentucky state capitol with a group called “Kentucky Rising” to protest irresponsible mining practices. He removed many of his papers from the University of Kentucky in protest of the decision to name a dormitory after a mining company.

Orthodox. Faithful. Free.

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Berry is the 20th person to receive the award. Other winners included Harper Lee, Joyce Carol Oates, James Taylor, and actress Meryl Streep. Berry received the Medal for achievements as a “poet, novelist, farmer and conservationist,” and for his career spent “exploring our relationship with the land and community.”

(Hat tip, Joseph; image via Kentucky Kernel)

Author

  • Zoe Romanowsky is writer, consultant, and coach. Her articles have appeared in “Catholic Digest,” “Faith & Family,” “National Catholic Register,” “Our Sunday Visitor,” “Urbanite,” “Baltimore Eats,” and Godspy.com. Zo

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