INDIANAPOLIS (August 14, 2025) - Yesterday, August 13, at the Indiana State Fair, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Don Lamb presented 95  farming families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

“Indiana’s economy and heritage is built upon agriculture,” said Lt. Gov. Beckwith, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “It is an honor to be able to recognize these farming family and celebrate their enduring legacy.”

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres. If less than 20 acres, the farm must produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.

Since the program's inception in 1976, over 6,200 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award. Often, a Hoosier Homestead farm is easily recognized because most recipients proudly display their awarded sign on their property.

“I am continually inspired by the long-established farming families that are recognized during the Hoosier Homestead ceremonies,” said Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana State Department of Ag. “I personally know the amount of commitment and dedication needed to keep a farm in the family for 100 years or more. I thank each one for their devotion to the agriculture industry and their loyalty to the state of Indiana.”

During the ceremonies, eight Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership: the Spillman family from Decatur county, the Michael B. McConnell family from Gibson county, the Chastain family from Montgomery county, the Runyan family from Montgomery county, the Robert M. Stwalley Jr. family from Montgomery county, the Dobson family from Putnam county, the Meal family from Rush county and the Dennis and Sue Briggs family from Switzerland county.

Below is a list of the Hoosier Homestead Award recipients honored during the summer 2025 ceremony:
 

County Award Name Award Year Award Type

Adams Co.

Hirschy 1924 Centennial

Allen Co.

Hille 1875 Sesquicentennial

Bartholomew Co.

Donald D. Voelz   1875 Sesquicentennial

Bartholomew Co.

Gary and Nancy Meyer 1871 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Bartholomew Co.

Mensendiek 1868 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Bartholomew Co.

C & M Arnholt Family Farm 1901 Centennial

Benton Co.

Watkins - Center - Berenda  1892 Centennial

Benton Co.

Watkins - Center - Berenda  1892 Centennial

Benton Co.

Woodlock I Sparenberg 1875 Sesquicentennial

Blackford Co.

Miles 1919 Centennial

Brown Co.

John C. and Susan R. Parsley 1837 Sesquicentennial

Carroll Co.

Sunnybrook Farm, George & Mary Flora 1875 Sesquicentennial

Clark Co.

Hagest 1901 Centennial

Clay Co.

Seymour 1885 Centennial

Daviess Co.

Fuhrman 1909 Centennial

Dearborn Co.

Connolly - Hartman 1924 Centennial

Decatur Co.

Spillman 1825 Centennial, Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial

DeKalb Co.

Carnahan 1917 Centennial

Delaware Co.

Cary 1919 Centennial

Delaware Co.

Cary 1919 Centennial

Delaware Co.

Whitehead 1910 Centennial

Dubois Co.

Hochgesang 1905 Centennial

Dubois Co.

Neukam 1913 Centennial

Dubois Co.

Verkamp 1871 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Fountain Co.

Munson 1908 Centennial

Franklin Co.

Meyer 1863 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Gibson Co.

Michael B. McConnell 1819 Bicentennial

Gibson Co.

Ballard-Reinbrecht 1839 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Gibson Co.

Unfried 1906 Centennial

Grant Co.

Leisure 1875 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Grant Co.

Jarvis-Cox 1885 Centennial

Grant Co.

Ferree 1920 Centennial

Hamilton Co.

Klingensmith 1854 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Hamilton Co.

H.C. 'Cad' Goff / Linda Kay Rockwell 1905 Centennial

Harrison Co.

Leffler 1874 Sesquicentennial

Harrison Co.

Martin 1914 Centennial

Huntington Co.

Karst 1871 Sesquicentennial

Jackson Co.

Duwe 1850 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Jackson Co.

Holtman 1878 Centennial

Jackson Co.

Holtman / Eggersman / Liggett 1890 Centennial

Jasper Co.

Daugherty / Hayworth 1918 Centennial

Jay Co.

Ezra Rines 1924 Centennial

Johnson Co.

Jones I Norton 1871 Sesquicentennial

Kosciusko Co.

Carlin 1838 Sesquicentennial

Kosciusko Co.

Creighton 1870 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Kosciusko Co.

Creighton 1922 Centennial

Lake Co.

Oldendorf 1851 Sesquicentennial

LaPorte Co.

Harder / Patek 1871 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

LaPorte Co.

Gillham 1861 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Madison Co.

Wolfgang 1880 Centennial

Marshall Co.

Smith 1922  Centennial

Montgomery Co.

Chastain 1824 Bicentennial

Montgomery Co.

Robert D. Hayes & Bernice Hayes Farms, Inc. 1836 Sesquicentennial

Montgomery Co.

Runyan 1831 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Runyan 1831 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Runyan 1920 Centennial

Runyan 1825 Centennial, Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial

Runyan 1845 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Montgomery Co.

Robert M. Stwalley Jr. 1825 Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial

Morgan Co. 

McGinnis 1898 Centennial

Morgan Co. 

Shumaker 1826 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Morgan Co. 

John Gregory 1897 Centennial

Noble Co. 

Simmons 1851  Sesquicentennial

Perry Co.

Epple 1907 Centennial

Perry Co. 

Hanloh I Boerste I LaGrange 1858 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Pike Co. 

Meyer 1895 Centennial

Porter Co. 

Kuehl 1874 Sesquicentennial

Posey Co. 

Reibel 1919 Centennial

Posey Co. 

Ritzert 1875  Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Pulaski Co.

Malchow 1915 Centennial

Putnam Co.

Dobson 1822 Centennial, Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial

Putnam Co. 

Keller 1924 Centennial

Ripley Co. 

Braunagel 1872 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Ripley Co. 

Rea 1923 Centennial

Rush Co. 

Ball 1924 Centennial

Rush Co. 

Harcourt I Boring I Carrigan 1857 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Rush Co. 

Meal 1825 Bicentennial

Spencer Co. 

Hurm 1915 Centennial

St. Joseph Co. 

Stuart Beehler 1889 Centennial

Starke Co. 

Sanders 1921 Centennial

Switzerland Co. 

Dennis & Sue Briggs 1825 Sesquicentennial & Bicentennial

Tippecanoe Co. 

Byers 1865 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Tippecanoe Co. 

Lachmund 1892 Centennial

Tippecanoe Co. 

Steckel-Burkhalter-Miller-Dinges-Ruch 1875 Sesquicentennial

Vermillion Co. 

Helt Farms 1921 Centennial

Vigo Co. 

Hofmann (Cottom Corner) 1918 Centennial

Wabash Co. 

Blocher 1921 Centennial

Wabash Co. 

Wilcox 1913 Centennial

Warren Co. 

Fink / Beason 1893 Centennial

Warrick Co. 

Deller 1923 Centennial

Wells Co. 

Mike Gilbert I Vicki Haviland 1838 Sesquicentennial

Wells Co. 

Hedges (Stewart / Wisner) 1900 Centennial

Wells Co. 

Springer 1921 Centennial

Wells Co. 

Mary Lou Wilcock 1849 Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Whitley Co. 

Kile 1875 Sesquicentennial

 To view photos from the August 2025 Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony at the Indiana State Fair, click here.