Area farms recognized with Hoosier Homestead Award

Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 10:16 AM

By Staff report

Recognized for their families’ farm legacies and longstanding commitment to agriculture, 95 Indiana families were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award at the Indiana State Fair on Wednesday from Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be 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. Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.

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.

Eight Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership:

The Spillman family from Decatur County
The Michael B. McConnell family from Gibson County
The Chastain family from Montgomery County
The Runyan family from Montgomery County
The Robert M. Stwalley Jr. family from Montgomery County
The Dobson family from Putnam County
The Meal family from Rush County
The Dennis and Sue Briggs family from Switzerland County.

County	Award Name	Award Year	Award Type
Montgomery	Chastain	1824	Bicentennial
Montgomery	Robert D. Hayes & Bernice Hayes Farms, Inc.	1836	Sesquicentennial
Montgomery	Runyan	1831	Centennial & Sesquicentennial
Montgomery	Runyan	1831	Centennial & Sesquicentennial
Montgomery	Runyan	1920	Centennial
Montgomery	Runyan	1825	Centennial, Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial
Montgomery	Runyan	1845	Centennial & Sesquicentennial
Montgomery	Robert M. Stwalley Jr.	1825	Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial
Vermillion	Helt Farms	1921	Centennial