Louisiana's Top Young Farm Woman: 'You Can't Be lazy'

By Greg Hilburn, USA Today Network

Louisiana Farm Bureau President Ronnie Anderson presented Acadiana farmer Natachia Stelly with the Louisiana Outstanding Young Farm Woman award at the Farm Bureau Convention in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS — Nothing is off limits for Natachia Stelly at her family's 2,800-acre rice, crawfish and cattle farm in Abbeville.

From checking traps to filling sacks to managing the family restaurant, you may find Stelly in a boat, tending a pot of boiling bugs and corn or on a tractor, her husband and partner Adlar said.

"There's no way I'd be doing this without her," Adlar told "This Week in Louisiana Agriculture."

Natachia Stelly baits crawfish traps with two of her daughters on their 2800 acre farm in Vermillion parish.

"It's not a 50-50; it's you put in 100 and I put in 100 and that's how you get it done," she said. "You can't be lazy and farm."

Stelly was named the Louisiana Outstanding Young Farm Woman here this week at the 95th Annual Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention.

"I can't imagine going and getting another job," she said. "This is a way of life."

As many as 2,000 of the state's top farmers and ranchers gathered to honor their own at the convention.

Other winners included:

Katie Sistrunk of Iberville Parish, who earned the Excellence in Agriculture Award for her work on her father's farm;

Adam Caughern of Caddo Parish, who operates Precision Baling, won the Discussion Meet as someone who could best advance an issue or idea;

Karen Parrino of Livingston Parish and Lisa Owens of Claiborne Parish who were named Ag in the Classroom Teachers of the year;

Amelia and Russell Kent, cattle ranchers in Tangipahoa Parish, who earned the Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award;

Neil Shaw of KTBS-TV in Shreveport, who earned the Mike Danna-Regnal Wallace Ag Communicator of the Year Award;

And the Rapides Parish Farm Bureau, represented by parish President Bill Cheek, won the President's Trophy as the top parish Farm Bureau.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1