Area farms recognized with Hoosier Homestead Award

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.