Local farm families recognized for Hoosier Homesteads

Note: This story has been updated with other area award winners.

56 longstanding farm families from around Indiana were recognized recently with Hoosier Homestead Awards including 13 from our area.

According to the Indiana Department of Agriculture, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith presented the awards at a ceremony on Friday. The award recognizes Indiana family farms that reach centennial, sesquicentennial or bicentennial milestones.

Bartholomew County legislators Sen. Greg Walker and State Representatives Ryan Lauer and Jennifer Meltzer are announcing that three county farms were recognized last week with the awards including:

The Bonnell farms and The Clouse Family Farm both received Centennial and Sesquicentennial awards while The Kobbe farm in Bartholomew County received a Centennial Award. The Van Nuys farm in Johnson County also received a Sesquicentennial Award.

Other farms in our area to receive the recognition included:

• The Bicentennial Award to the Hamilton Batterton farm in Decatur County.
• The Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial Awards to the McCoy Farm also, in Decatur County.
• Sesquicentennial awards went to the Miller-Han and Miller farms in Decatur County, the Van Nuys and Yoke Farms in Johnson County and the Wright-Bassett Farm in Shelby County.
• And Centennial awards went to Schwering Farm in Decatur County, Everett Duwe Farm in Jackson County and the Haehl Farm in Shelby County.

To qualify for the awards, 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. Since the awards began in 1976 more than 6,000 farms have been recognized.

You can find a link to learn more about the program or apply here: https://www.in.gov/isda/programs-and-initiatives/hoosier-homestead/