Sometimes nice guys finish fifth.

When voting for the first-ever White House Farmer closed at midnight Jan. 31, Nash Huber of Nash's Organic Produce finished fifth out of the 111 nominations received from across the country.

The 67-year-old Huber was one of 15 Washington farmers nominated. Only Wisconsin had more with 16. California had only 13.

Names of the top three vote-getters will be forwarded to President Barack Obama's staff for

selection to the newly created position, according to the Web site

WhiteHouseFarmer.com.

That farmer will plant an organic fruit and vegetable garden on five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn whose produce will be used by the White House chef and given to area food banks.

When the votes were tallied, Huber had received 3,553 votes, or 6 percent of the 55,871 votes.

Claire Strader of Troy Community Farm in Madison, Wis., received 8,868 votes, or 16 percent.

Carrie Anne Little of Puyallup, manager of Mother Earth Farm, received 8,614 votes, or 15 percent.

Margaret Lloyd of Home Farming in Davis, Calif., received 5,306 votes, or 9 percent.

Will Allen of Milwaukee, Wis., received 5,280 votes, or 9 percent.

In May, Huber received the American Farmland Trusts' 2008 Steward of the Land Award for his leadership role in protecting agricultural land, local food and the environment.

Huber is the first Washington state farmer to receive the award, which honors the memory of Peggy McGrath Rockefeller, an avid farmer and conservationist who helped found American Farmland Trust.

Huber has farmed the Dungeness River delta for more than 25 years using organic growing methods. He farms nearly 400 acres and provides the region with more than 100 varieties of fruit and vegetables.

He is Washington Certified Producer No. 4 in the Washington State Department of Agriculture's organic certification program.



Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com