INDIANAPOLIS — Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler presented 51 Hoosier Homestead Awards to families on March 5 at the Indiana State Museum in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
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 more than $1,000 in agricultural products per year.
“For generations, each of the families honored today have been committed to Indiana, to agriculture and to their families,” Crouch said. “The past year has been challenging in many ways but our agriculture industry remains strong. Hoosier farmers are a big reason why Indiana remains the 10th largest farming state. I was grateful to have the opportunity to present this award to these historic farming families.”
Families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award, based on the age of the farm. They can receive the Centennial Award for 100 years, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
Since the program’s inception in 1976, more than 5,800 families have received the award.
Two families were recognized with the Bicentennial Award during the ceremony; the Weinantz farm from Bartholomew County was established in 1820 and the Hall farm from Orange County was established in 1818.
“The Hoosier Homestead program is a testament to the resiliency of our Indiana agriculture industry,” Kettler said. “Each of these families have played a significant role in the heritage of our state and I am certain their legacy will continue for years to come.”
The following list includes the March 2021 Hoosier Homestead Award recipients.
| County | Award name | Award year | Award type |
| Adams | Lehman | 1900 | Centennial |
| Adams | Nussbaum | 1919 | Centennial |
| Adams | Theodore W. Buuck | 1870 | Sesquicentennial |
| Bartholomew | Weinantz | 1820 | Bicentennial |
| Brown | Pittman | 1867 | Sesquicentennial |
| Clark | Dickey | 1911 | Centennial |
| Clay | Bucklin | 1917 | Centennial |
| Clay | Paul W. Reberger | 1864 | Sesquicentennial |
| Clay | William E. Reberger | 1864 | Cent & Sesq |
| DeKalb | George Homer Abel Homestead | 1836 | Cent & Sesq |
| DeKalb | Mary C. Wilder | 1920 | Centennial |
| DeKalb | Wilder | 1920 | Centennial |
| Dubois | Jochem | 1860 | Cent & Sesq |
| Elkhart | Goss | 1911 | Centennial |
| Elkhart | Goss | 1911 | Centennial |
| Franklin | Coffey | 1918 | Centennial |
| Franklin | Laker | 1856 | Cent & Sesq |
| Fulton | Richter | 1920 | Centennial |
| Harrison | Billy J. Curts & Sharon Curts Martin | 1917 | Centennial |
| Harrison | Fravel | 1918 | Centennial |
| Hendricks | Aaron C. Hill | 1881 | Centennial |
| Howard | Salmons | 1918 | Centennial |
| Huntington | Johnson | 1843 | Sesquicentennial |
| Jay | Rockwell | 1910 | Centennial |
| LaGrange | Light | 1909 | Centennial |
| LaGrange | Swihart | 1859 | Cent & Sesq |
| LaPorte | Hiigli | 1920 | Centennial |
| LaPorte | Metzinger-Dittrich | 1921 | Centennial |
| LaPorte | Werner | 1919 | Centennial |
| Lawrence | Evans | 1905 | Centennial |
| Madison | Ralph H. Hinds | 1918 | Centennial |
| Martin | Beasley | 1902 | Centennial |
| Martin | Turpin | 1921 | Centennial |
| Montgomery | Davidson | 1837 | Sesquicentennial |
| Montgomery | Schoen | 1870 | Cent & Sesq |
| Newton | Guard/Gordon | 1866 | Sesquicentennial |
| Noble | Norris | 1869 | Sesquicentennial |
| Orange | Hall | 1818 | Bicentennial |
| Parke | Hartman | 1822 | Sesquicentennial |
| Parke | Jeffries | 1871 | Cent & Sesq |
| Pulaski | Arndt | 1871 | Sesquicentennial |
| Randolph | Moore | 1903 | Centennial |
| Randolph | Stocksdale – Moore | 1859 | Cent & Sesq |
| Rush | Kehl | 1845 | Sesquicentennial |
| Scott | Steve and Carrie Peacock | 1906 | Centennial |
| Shelby | Shelton | 1864 | Sesquicentennial |
| Tipton | Guy Kirby | 1875 | Centennial |
| Tipton | Guy Kirby | 1905 | Centennial |
| Vermillion | Sheets | 1921 | Centennial |
| Wabash | Schilling | 1854 | Sesquicentennial |
| White | Mattix | 1921 | Centennial |
Photos from today’s ceremony will be posted to ISDA’s Flickr page by Tuesday, March 9, 2021. For more information about the Hoosier Homestead Award program, click here or visit www.in.gov/isda/.
Click here for an audio recording of Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch.
Click here for an audio recording of ISDA Director Bruce Kettler.
— Indiana State Department of Agriculture
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