May 25, 2025

100-year Hoosier homesteads honored

By Ashley Langreck

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture honored more than 150 farm families with the Hoosier Homestead Award, which recognizes farms that have been in the same family for 100 years.

INDIANAPOLIS — Despite having had to delay the original ceremony due to restrictions on large group events to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture recently honored Hoosiers farm families with the Hoosier Homestead Award.

A farm earns the Hoosier Homestead Award when it has been kept in the same family consecutively for more than 100 years and consists of more than 20 acres and produces more than $1,000 agricultural products each year.

ISDA Director Bruce Kettler said the department, along with Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, honored more than 150 Hoosier farm families with the award.

Kettler said that although the ceremony is typically held at the Indiana Statehouse in March each year, it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hoosier farm families were going to be recognized during the Indiana State Fair.

However, Kettler said that since the state fair was canceled, as well, the ISDA decided it wanted to still be able to honor the farm families who earned the distinct title of a Hoosier Homestead.

To make sure social distancing was possible, Kettler said the ISDA created two separate sessions at the Indiana Statehouse where all families that were eligible for the award were invited to attend in person.

Although masks were required, Kettler said all families that wanted to receive their Hoosier Homestead Award in person had the opportunity to do so.

“One-third of the people did want to receive the award in person,” Kettler said, adding that individuals seemed happy and pleased to still be able to come to an award ceremony.

Kettler said the celebration is also giving a couple who are 90 and 91 years old the opportunity to come visit the Statehouse for the first time in their lives.

“It was really neat to see that,” Kettler said, adding that three of the farm families would be receiving a bicentennial award for keeping their farm in the same family for over 200 years.

For more information about the Hoosier Homestead Award, visit www.in.gov/isda/3848.htm.