INDIANAPOLIS – At the Indiana State Fair on Wednesday, August 13, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture presented 95 farming families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: the Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership, and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
The Hoosier Homestead Award went to eight local farm families: four from Bartholomew County, three from Jackson County, and one from Johnson County.
- Bartholomew – Donald D. Voelz (Sesquicentennial); C and M Arnholt (Centennial); Gary/Nancy Meyer (Centennial/Sesquicentennial); Mensendiek (Centennial/Sesquicentennial)
- Johnson – Jones/Norton (Sesquicentennial)
- Jackson – Duwe (Centennial/Sesquicentennial); Holtman (Centennial); Holtman/Eggersman (Centennial)
The recognition is given to farms 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.
Since the program’s inception in 1976, over 6,200 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award. Often, a Hoosier Homestead farm is easily recognized because most recipients proudly display their awarded sign on their property.
