A total of 106 Indiana family farms were presented with Hoosier Homestead Awards recognizing their longevity of operation.
The awards were presented at the Indiana State Fair by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler.
“Recognizing and engaging Indiana’s historic farming families with Hoosier Homestead awards at the Indiana State Fair is an honor for me each year,” said Crouch, who also is Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “The hard work, consistency and longstanding values within these families is inspirational. These families and their farms are securing a strong future for many generations to come.”
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 annually.
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, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
“Since the formation of these farms, these families have provided for their communities, our state and the Indiana agriculture industry,” Kettler said. “It is hard to put into words the value and impact these family farms have on Hoosier agriculture as a whole.”
Since the program's inception in 1976, more than 6,100 families have received the award. Often, a Hoosier Homestead farm is easily recognized because most recipients proudly display their awarded sign on their property.
This year, four Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership. They include: the Speer family farm from Jennings County; the Hartman family farm from Parke County and the Layton Acres Inc. family farm and the Logan family farm, both from Rush County.
The Northwest Indiana and Elkhart-South Bend 2022 Hoosier Homestead Award recipients include (county, farm name, year established, award):
- LaPorte County, Lachner, 1922, Centennial
- LaPorte County, Maerz-Kloss, 1884, Centennial
- LaPorte County, Mark, 1881, Centennial
- LaPorte County, Sullivan, 1868, Sesquicentennial
- Marshall County, Redman, 1920, Centennial
- Porter County, John Dick & Pollaro, 1901, Centennial
- Pulaski County, Brucker, 1922, Centennial
- Pulaski County, Hartmann, 1890, Centennial
- St. Joseph County, Andert, 1921, Centennial
- St. Joseph County, Cordray, 1872, Centennial & Sesquicentennial
- St. Joseph County, Verhaeghe, 1922, Centennial
- St. Joseph County, Widler, 1922, Centennial
- Starke County, Bortell, 1919, Centennial
- Starke County, Siedentop, 1922, Centennial
The complete 2022 honorees list is available on the Indiana State Department of Agriculture website.
