Over 55 Indiana Farm Families Honored with Hoosier Homestead Award

The Hays family of Greene County, Indiana, receiving the Hoosier Homestead Sesquicentennial Award for their family farm, which was established in 1855 and passed down from that first generation to the current generation. Photo: Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

A total of 56 farming families across Indiana were recognized with the Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture during a ceremony Friday at the Indiana Statehouse.
To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres. If less than 20 acres, the farm must produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
Since the program’s inception in 1976, over 6,000 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award. Many past awardees can be identified by the sign proudly displayed in front of the family farm or field.
“It is a true honor to be in the historic Statehouse today celebrating your incredible family farming history,” said Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Your commitment to Indiana and our agriculture history and future is renowned. It was awe-inspiring to celebrate this family achievement with you all today.”
“Being a farmer myself I know how challenging it is to farm today in general, and to keep the same property in the family for decades on end, no less,” said Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “This award being presented today to your farming families is proof of your dedication to agriculture, to our State and to feeding our world, so I thank you.”
Below is the list of the Hoosier Homestead Award recipients honored during the spring 2023 ceremony (Listed by County, Award Name, Award Year, and Award Type):
ADAMS COUNTY

  • Maller, 1889—Centennial
  • Peter D. & Barbara Moser, 1838—Sesquicentennial

ALLEN COUNTY

  • Koenenman, 1899—Centennial
  • Ronald J. & Linda K. Schlatter, 1835—Sesquicentennial
  • Ronald J. & Neil C. Schlatter, 1835—Sesquicentennial
  • Schuhler/Connor/Loesch, 1866—Sesquicentennial

BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY

  • Tooley-Calvin, 1907—Centennial

BENTON COUNTY

  • Atkinson, 1852—Sesquicentennial
  • Brandt, 1886—Centennial
  • Ferguson/Creek, 1871—Sesquicentennial

CASS COUNTY

  • Berlet, 1918—Centennial

CLAY COUNTY

  • Dierdorf, 1889—Centennial
  • Keith & Paula Jones, 1870—Sesquicentennial
  • Wayne R. & Mary A. Jones, 1905—Centennial
  • Zurcher, 1868—Sesquicentennial

DEARBORN COUNTY

  • Decker, 1919—Centennial
  • Hoog, 1919—Centennial

DELAWARE COUNTY

  • Smith, 1892—Centennial

FOUNTAIN COUNTY

  • Gray, 1869—Sesquicentennial

FRANKLIN COUNTY

  • Meyer, 1920—Centennial

GRANT COUNTY

  • Harner, 1850—Sesquicentennial
  • Philip W. Corey, 1866—Sesquicentennial

GREENE COUNTY

  • Hays, 1855—Sesquicentennial

HAMILTON COUNTY

  • Sowers-Pickett, 1918—Centennial

HARRISON COUNTY

  • Crosier, 1917—Centennial
  • Pate/Gettelfinger, 1906—Centennial

HOWARD COUNTY

  • McQuiston-Howell, 1880—Centennial

HUNTINGTON COUNTY

  • Thorne, 1910—Centennial

JOHNSON COUNTY

  • Becker, 1919—Centennial

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY

  • McSherry Farms, Inc., 1838—Sesquicentennial

LAGRANGE COUNTY

  • Strayer, 1916—Centennial

MADISON COUNTY

  • Williams, 1920—Centennial

MARTIN COUNTY

  • Brown, 1922—Centennial

NEWTON COUNTY

  • Constable, 1869—Sesquicentennial
  • Frank Douglas Best & John Berry Best, 1860—Sesquicentennial

NOBLE COUNTY

  • Hooley, 1920—Centennial

ORANGE COUNTY

  • Dennis F. & Patricia F. Cleveland, 1842—Sesquicentennial

OWEN COUNTY

  • Watson, 1907—Centennial

PIKE COUNTY

  • Charles Wayne & Barbara J. Satkamp, 1922—Centennial

PUTNAM COUNTY

  • Carter, 1862—Sesquicentennial
  • Risk, 1870—Sesquicentennial

RANDOLPH COUNTY

  • Bowen, Taylor, Cowen, 1882—Centennial

RIPLEY COUNTY

  • Boggess/Bauman, 1922—Centennial

RUSH COUNTY

  • Harcourt, 1873—Sesquicentennial

SHELBY COUNTY

  • Marvin Covalt, 1922—Centennial

TIPPECANOE COUNTY

  • Meisenhelder-Jones, 1859—Sesquicentennial

TIPTON COUNTY

  • Phenias A. Salsberry, 1896—Centennial

WABASH COUNTY

  • Albright, 1847—Sesquicentennial

WARREN COUNTY

  • Adams, 1896—Centennial
  • Akers, 1868—Sesquicentennial
  • Fleming, 1918—Centennial

WARRICK COUNTY

  • Titzer, 1913—Centennial

WAYNE COUNTY

  • Druley-Pierce, 1866—Sesquicentennial

WELLS COUNTY

  • DeVoe, 1841—Sesquicentennial
  • Fred & Emma (Meyer) Nuerge, 1913—Centennial

WHITLEY COUNTY

  • Milton Rupley, 1923—Centennial

 
The 2023 Summer Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony will take place on Aug. 16 during the Indiana State Fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Photo: Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Source: The Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
 

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