INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Recognized for their families’ longstanding commitment to agriculture, 103 Indiana family farms were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award at the Indiana State Fair from Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb.
“The Hoosier Homestead ceremony is always a highlight of the Indiana State Fair for me,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Celebrating these longstanding farming families and their ancestors for their work and commitment to our state and Indiana agriculture is a true honor.”
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.
Based on the age of the farm, families are eligible for three different distinctions of the Hoosier Homestead Award. They can receive the Centennial Award for 100 years, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years or Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.
“Keeping a farm operational for 100 years or more is no simple task,” Lamb said. “Each passing generation has certainly had to adapt and evolve their farming practices and techniques to ensure their farms continued success.”
Since the program’s inception in 1976, over 6,100 families have received the award. Often, a Hoosier Homestead farm is easily recognized because most recipients proudly display their awarded sign on their property.
During the ceremonies, three Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership: the Craig / Day family from Lawrence County, the Harry Goss Dow & Bessie M. Dow family from Morgan County and the Wise/Hobbs family from Madison County.
The following list is a portion of the August 2023 Hoosier Homestead Award recipients.
Cass County: Steinberger, Frushour, & Kruck. 1909, Centennial Award.
Huntington County: Schoeff. 1910, Centennial Award.
Wabash County: Descendants of Edward & Ethel (Cripe) Rautenkranz. 1920, Centennial.
For more information about the Hoosier Homestead Award program and to view the entire recipient list, please visit isda.in.gov.
