Local families among the Century and Heritage Farms recognized during the 2017 Iowa State Fair
Plein family farm recognized as Heritage Farm ... Members of the Ralph and Marie Plein family were present at the Iowa State Fair August 17 to receive the recognition of the family’s farm located at 2095 Rainbow Road, Lansing as a Heritage Farm. Submitted photo.
Reburn family farm recognized as Heritage Farm ... Tom and Lynn Reburn were present at the Iowa State Fair August 17 to receive the recognition of the family’s farm located at 1641 Pool Hill Drive, New Albin as a Heritage Farm. Submitted photo.
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Farm Bureau celebrated families that have owned a farm for 100 years or 150 years
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recognized Century and Heritage Farm families during a ceremony at the Iowa State Fair again this year. To qualify, a family must have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more in the case of Century Farms and 150 years or more for a Heritage Farm.
This year 354 Century Farms and 119 Heritage Farms were recognized. Among those honored farms were the following from Allamakee County (some of which are pictured on this same page): Ralph and Marie Plein family and Tom and Lynn Reburn family as Heritage Farms; and Donald Aldrich family, George Beardmore family, Donald Henningsgaard family, Vernalene Oelberg family, Dennis Schulte family and Bonnie (Myhre) Williams family as Century Farms.
“The Century and Heritage Farm awards ceremony is one of my favorite days of the year. It is a tremendous celebration of the families who have cared for the land and raised the crops and livestock that helped build our state and feed the world. To own a farm for 100 or 150 years is a testament to the values of land stewardship, hard work, patience, dedication and perseverance that are found in Iowa’s farm families,” Northey said.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has partnered with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation since 1976 to recognize families that have owned and worked a farm for 100 years or more. Including this year’s recipients, more than 19,000 farms from across the state have been recognized for their family ownership.
The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006, on the 30th anniversary of the Century Farm program and more than 1,000 farms have been recognized.
The 2017 Century and Heritage Farms Program ceremony was held at the Iowa State Fair in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion Thursday, August 17. Craig Hill, President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, or Joe Heinrich, Vice President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, joined Northey to recognize all award recipients.
“The program acknowledges the deep roots of Iowa agriculture and the special bond that exists between Iowa families and the land they farm,” Northey said. “The Iowa State Fair is a celebration of Iowa and Iowa agriculture, so it’s a great place to recognize the Century Farm and Heritage Farm recipients.”
