Area Families Among Recipients Of Hoosier Homestead Awards

The Messmore-Werstler family from Kosciusko County received a Centennial award. Photos provided by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

The Shock family from Kosciusko County received Centennial and Sesquicentennial awards.

News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Recognized for their families’ longstanding commitment to agriculture, 103 Indiana farm families recently were presented the Hoosier Homestead Award at the Indiana State Fair from Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb.

Among the honorees were:

Allen County — Dafforn family, 1874, Sesquicentennial
Fulton County — Applegate-Crippen-Rock family, 1911, Centennial; Heater family, 1874, Sesquicentennial; Shewman family, 1918, Centennial
Kosciusko County — Messmore-Werstler family, 1923, Centennial; Shock family, 1866, Centennial and Sesquicentennial
LaGrange County — Koon-Barroquillo family, 1918, Centennial
Marshall County — Stuntz/Bollenbacher family, 1869, Centennial and Sesquicentennial
Noble County — Harvey and Simon family, 1862, Centennial and Sesquicentennial; Zimmerman family, 1919, Sesquicentennial
Pulaski County — Bergdolt family, 1899, Centennial; Heater family, 1872, Sesquicentennial
Wabash County — Daihl family, 1873, Centennial and Sesquicentennial; Kirtlan family, 1924, Centennial; Schuler family, 1920, Centennial

“The Hoosier Homestead ceremony at the Indiana State Fair is a prestigious event for all involved,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s secretary of agriculture and rural development. “It is a true honor to celebrate these families for their work and commitment to bettering 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.

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 something these families can take great pride in,” Lamb said. “Each of the awarded family farms continues to adapt and evolve through each new generation on the farm to ensure their success.”

Since the program’s inception in 1976, nearly 6,200 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, six Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership: the Thornburg-Caldwell-Slack family from Fayette County, the Hodges family from Morgan County, the Bridges-Royer family from Putnam County, the Dale and Donna Hartwell and Ricky W. Hartwell family from Rush County, the Bass-Rhodes family from Shelby County and the James W. Holmes, Jeffrey W. Holmes, Jason M. Davidson family from Tippecanoe County.

For a complete list of this year’s honorees and more information about the Hoosier Homestead program, visit isda.in.gov.