Thirty-two area families were among the 359 who received recognition for reaching Century Farm status this year and the 148 Heritage Farm awards saw six local families on the list. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, presented the awards during the Iowa State Fair, along with President and Vice President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Craig Hill and Joe Heinrich. “To keep a farm in the same family for 100 or 150 years is a testament to the passion and perseverance of these families and a true picture of sustainability,” Naig says. “These families inspire all of us to roll up our sleeves, identify innovative conservation solutions and forge new public-private partnerships to ensure our agriculture industry remains strong for generations to come.” To receive the Century award, a family must have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more. For Heritage farm status, the land must have stayed in the family for 150 years or more. The Century Farm program was initiated in 1976 through a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Since then more than 19,000 farms have earned the honor. The Heritage Farm program was established in 2006, and has since awarded more than 1,000 farms the designation. A full list of our local Century Farm recipients can be found below.
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2018 Century Farms
Lawrence and Laura Maach of Grand Junction
Pauline Boner of Lohrville
Shirley Muehlenthaler, Susan Burke, Thomas Elsen, Rebecca Thompson and Debra Stibel for Elsen’s Cedar Lawn Farms of Manson
Richard Herrmann, Mary Ellen Condon, John Herrmann and JoAnn Herrmann of Manson
Steve Oberhelman of Manson
Robert Sexton of Rockwell City
Donna Trust of Templeton
Curtis and Rexanne Struve of Manning
Shirley and Victor Tomka of Templeton
Kevin and Jill Venner of Arcadia
Charles and Rita Eggers of Denison
Verdean Gierstorf of Schleswig
Melvin and Clarion Holdsworth of Manilla
Linda Derner Ostrand of Manilla
Frett and Larry Adams of Churdan
Corinne Bancroft of Paton
Ina Lynch of Dana
John Lynch of Dana (two separate parcels)
Darwin Betts of Guthrie Center
Monica Dirkx, Margaret Knosby, Michele Ahern and Mark McDermott of Jamaica
Dwight and Myrna Hawley of Menlo
Gary Hines of Guthrie Center
Norma Cabelka Hogge Yale
Thomas and Lorilyn Schultes of Anita
Catherine Vogel of Yale
Kevin and Pamela Hospelhorn of Auburn
Robert and Sarah Kent of Auburn
Warren Presley, Doris Davis, Craig Presley, Kimberley Presley, Wes Presley, Scott Jacobs, Dana Jacobs, Jeff Jacobs and Donny Presley of Auburn
Gregory and Sandra Schnirring of Sac City
Robert and Waunita Tegels Trust of Lake View
2018 Heritage Farm Awards
Eleanor Walstrom, John Walstrom and Jim Walstrom of Manson
Joan Jones, Janet Imel and James Jones of Grand Junction
Linda Youn, Mary Ann (Young) Miller and Dennis Young of Rippey
James Arganbright of Panora
Carl and Maisie Janssen of Manson
Deanne Janssen of Manson
