Adam Hendricks (right) accepted the Grain Crops Science Service Award for Hendricks Farms. Photo by Jennifer Elwell. Image courtesy of the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College.
Hendricks Farms, an eighth-generation family farm in Logan County, received the 2026 University of Kentucky Grain Crops Science Service Award during this year’s UK Winter Wheat Meeting. The award recognizes Hendricks Farms for their work assisting the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Weed Science Program.
The UK Grain Crops Science Service Award honors those who help the UK Grain Crops Science Group (GCSG) carry out research that supports the state’s farmers. Each year, the award highlights cooperation that gives researchers a real-world place to test ideas, collect data and move work from a plan on paper to results in the field.
For the past four crop years, Hendricks Farms has served as a working site for the Weed Science Program as it studies harvest weed seed control for Italian ryegrass in wheat. Hendricks Farms and Martin-Gatton CAFE specialists installed and studied a Redekop Seed Control Unit on the farm’s combine to see how it affects ryegrass seed survival at wheat harvest.
“I’ve always felt like we can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results,” said Adam Hendricks. “Italian ryegrass is a real issue in our wheat rotation, so I was interested in anything that might help. If nobody steps up and tries something new, then we’ll never really know what works.”
Hendricks Farms also agreed to give up multiple acres each season so Italian ryegrass can remain in a designated area of a field. That sacrifice allows GCSG researchers to test equipment and methods under real conditions. The work required Hendricks to also volunteer hours during harvest so the equipment could be used and evaluated in a way that produces reliable data.
“The Hendricks family sacrifices multiple acres each year for our research,” said associate Extension professor of weed science Travis Legleiter. “Additionally, they provide their precious hours during wheat harvest to allow this work to be conducted. Without their help, the Weed Science program would not have been able to conduct this valuable non-chemical weed control research.”
This is not the first time that the family has been rewarded for their work. In 2018, they were given the honor of Farm of the Year from the Logan County Farm Bureau. Additionally, Adam, his brother Jason and cousin Harry were given Young Farmer of Excellence awards. In 2024, the Logan County Conservation District awarded the farm the Master Conservationist Award.
“On our farm, you can’t just pause harvest and come back later when it’s convenient,” Hendricks said. “So when Travis and his team need time to run the equipment and collect data, we build that into the day. We’re proud to give them a real-world setting to test it, because that’s how you get answers that actually apply. It takes patience, but it’s worth it.”
Read more from the Martin-Gatton College here.