STATEHOUSE – Area legislators are recognizing the latest local recipient of the Hoosier Homestead Award, which recognizes farms owned and maintained by the same family for 100 years or more.
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.
Represented by State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) and State Rep. Chris May (R-Bedford), the Dennis F. & Patricia F. Cleveland farm in Orange County received a Sesquicentennial Award.
The Hoosier Homestead Award Program honors families who have made significant contributions to Indiana agriculture. Instituted in 1976, the program recognizes the impact these family farms have made on the economic, cultural, and social advancements of Indiana. In the past 47 years, more than 5,800 farms have received the honor.
“With just over 94,000 farmers in Indiana and 95% of farms being family-owned or operated, it is important to recognize those who continue to support our local and state agriculture communities,” Koch said. “It is an immense honor to be recognized with a Hoosier Homestead award, and I would like to congratulate the Cleveland family for their many years of ownership.”
“Farming contributes so much to our economy and way of life in Indiana,” May said. “It defines so much of this state’s character, and it’s important to recognize families like this whose work has stood the test of time.”
To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. The award distinctions are Centennial, Sesquicentennial, and Bicentennial – for 100, 150, and 200 years, respectively.
The Hays family of Greene County, Indiana, received the Hoosier Homestead Sesquicentennial Award for their family farm, which was established in 1855 and passed down from the first generation to the current generation.
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
To learn more about the program or to apply for a Hoosier Homestead Award click here. Photos of the event can be found here.
