Franklin County, IN — Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler presented 51 Hoosier Homestead Awards to families at the Indiana State Museum on Friday 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.
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 in Franklin County.
The Coffey Family was awarded the Centennial award for their farm that started in 1918. The Laker Family was awarded both the Centennial awarded and the Sesquicentennial award for their farm that started in 1856.
