Indiana Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann on Friday recognized 50 families with the Hoosier Homestead Award during a ceremony at the Indiana State House. 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 at least $1,000 worth of agricultural products per year. The award was created to recognize the contributions these family farms have made to the economic, cultural and social advancements of Indiana. “These families epitomize the reason we celebrate Indiana’s Agriculture Appreciation Month,” said Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann. “We honor their commitment to carry on the farming tradition, within their families on the same land, generations after they were first founded.”
Of the 50 Hoosier Homestead recipients honored:
- 1 received the Bicentennial Award for keeping their farm in the family for more than 200 years: 22 received the Sesquicentennial Award for more than 150 years: 27 received the Centennial Award for more than 100 years
Since 1976, more than 4,300 families have been recognized with Hoosier Homestead Awards. A complete list of the March 2013 recipients is available on the Indiana State Department of Agriculture website.