INDIANAPOLIS – Recognized for their families’ commitment to agriculture, 106 Indiana family farms, including seven local farms, were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award on Wednesday at the Indiana State Fair from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and consist of 20 acres or more, or produce more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year.
Based on the age of the farm, families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award. They can receive the Centennial Award for 100 years, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years, or the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership. Since the program’s inception in 1976, over 6,100 families have received the award.
Among the four farms receiving the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership was the Speer family farm from Jennings County. Other local farms honored were the Bolte and McKinney farms (Bartholomew County-100 years); the Mellenbrunch-Otte-Rieker, Siefker, and Meyer-Borgman farms (Jackson County-150 years); and B and G LaGrange Inc farm (Johnson County-150 years).