Hoosier families awarded for commitment to Indiana agriculture
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Hoosier Homestead Award was presented to 65 Hoosier families in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
Lt. Governor Suzanna Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler presented the awards at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Friday afternoon.
In a press release, Crouch stated, “Indiana agriculture keeps our economy thriving, and each year we are reminded of how rich our history is by the long list of award recipients,” Crouch went on to say, “Because we have such a thriving farming community, Indiana is at the top of the nation for production and these long-standing farms keep us moving forward.”
In order to qualify as a Hoosier Homestead recipient, farms must be owned by the same family for over 100 consecutive years. The farm property must be larger than 20 acres and produce more than $1,000 of agricultural product per year.
There are three honors Hoosier farms can qualify for:
- The Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership
- Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership
- And Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership
Also in the press release ISDA Director Bruce Kettler commented, “For more than a century, these farming families have been providing Hoosiers and Americans with the food, fuel and fiber they need for their everyday lives,” Kettler continued saying, “Each generation has learned to adapt and evaluate how to keep their farm successful with changing times and technology. It was an honor to celebrate them at the Statehouse.”
Below is a list of the Award recipients and type of honor received:
| Farm County | Award Name | Homestead Date | Type of Award |
| Allen | Van Horn | 1911 | Centennial |
| Carroll | Mills | 1861 | Sesquicentennial |
| Carroll | Reiff | 1918 | Centennial |
| Clinton | Bradburn-Strain-Ceo | 1895 | Centennial |
| Daviess | Ryan | 1867 | Sesquicentennial |
| Decatur | William S. Emly | 1837 | Sesquicentennial |
| Decatur | The Oesterling Homestead | 1909 | Centennial |
| DeKalb | Hook | 1848 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Dubois | Merkel | 1885 | Centennial |
| Dubois | Schroeder | 1845 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Elkhart | Cobb Family Farm | 1909 | Centennial |
| Fountain | Thomas | 1918 | Centennial |
| Franklin | Rosfeld | 1855 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Franklin | Meyer Family Farm | 1867 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Franklin | Kolb | 1917 | Centennial |
| Fulton | Hendrickson | 1900 | Centennial |
| Fulton | Walters-Duffey | 1904 | Centennial |
| Gibson | Kennedy Hill Farm | 1865 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Grant | King | 1878 | Centennial |
| Hamilton | Marion E. House Farms, Inc. | 1917 | Centennial |
| Howard | Schafer/Gingerich | 1865 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Howard | Hollingsworth | 1853 | Sesquicentennial |
| Huntington | Hosler | 1906 | Centennial |
| Huntington | Killen | 1918 | Centennial |
| Jackson | Tape Family | 1863 | Centennial |
| Jay | Hutchens | 1861 | Sesquicentennial |
| Jennings | Funke | 1867 | Sesquicentennial |
| Kosciusko | Waldbeser | 1906 | Centennial |
| Lake | Huseman | 1883 | Centennial |
| LaPorte | Brooks - Bartmess | 1860 | Sesquicentennial |
| LaPorte | Lloyd & Helen Steinke | 1855 | Sesquicentennial |
| Madison | Wright | 1917 | Centennial |
| Marshall | Motz Family Farm | 1915 | Centennial |
| Marshall | John Gibson | 1851 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Miami | Kendall | 1862 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Montgomery | Oppy | 1898 | Centennial |
| Parke | Wilkey | 1872 | Centennial |
| Pulaski | Christensen | 1867 | Sesquicentennial |
| Pulaski | Westphal | 1915 | Centennial |
| Putnam | Kenneth Wayne Mason | 1882 | Centennial |
| Randolph | Hobson | 1917 | Centennial |
| Randolph | The Huffman Family Farm | 1918 | Centennial |
| Ripley | Timke | 1888 | Centennial |
| Ripley | Crum | 1868 | Sesquicentennial |
| Ripley | Kohlman | 1867 | Sesquicentennial |
| Ripley | Huber | 1867 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Rush | Francis Graham Farms Inc. | 1846 | Sesquicentennial |
| Shelby | Linville | 1911 | Centennial |
| Shelby | Dake | 1918 | Centennial |
| Spencer | Lee | 1855 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Spencer | Singer/Scott | 1918 | Centennial |
| Steuben | Sugar Grove Farm | 1913 | Centennial |
| Switzerland | Crandell | 1908 | Centennial |
| Switzerland | Romerill | 1917 | Centennial |
| Tippecanoe | Claude, Harold, & Ruth Boesch | 1917 | Centennial |
| Tipton | Leisure | 1907 | Centennial |
| Union | Gavin-Beck Family Homestead | 1823 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Wabash | Swihart Long | 1907 | Centennial |
| Wabash | Walters-Duffey | 1888 | Centennial |
| Wabash | Walters-Duffey | 1915 | Centennial |
| Wabash | Merrick | 1835 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
| Warren | Andrews | 1907 | Centennial |
| Warren | Inez F. McDermond | 1904 | Centennial |
| Wells | Laymon | 1918 | Centennial |
| Whitley | Kerch | 1853 | Centennial & Sesquicentennial |
