Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
INDIANAPOLIS - Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Kathy Davis presided over the semi-annual Hoosier Homestead Award ceremony. The awards honor Indiana farms that have been in the same family for at least 100 consecutive years. During the ceremony, the state recognized 95 farms as centennial, sesquicentennial or bicentennial homesteads.
Davis presented a centennial award to the Bouse and Weaver families. The Bouse farm was established in Kosciusko County in 1894. The Weaver farm was established in Kosciusko County in 1848. Also present at the Bouse ceremony with the lieutenant governor was Joseph R. Pearson, assistant commissioner of agriculture. State Rep. Bill Ruppel, R-North Manchester attended the Weaver farm presentation.
"Hoosier farms continue to shape the state's history and contribute to our daily lives," said Davis, who serves as the state's Commissioner of Agriculture. "This award honors families for their contributions to the rich tradition of farming and for guiding the state's agricultural growth."
The farms join nearly 5,000 agriculture homesteads recognized in Indiana as Hoosier Homestead farms since the award program's launch in 1976. Among the spring Hoosier Homestead recipients, 33 farms received centennial awards and 61 received sesquicentennial awards. The Captain Joseph Hayes Farm, which is owned by William and Barbara Corning, received a bicentennial award. This farm was established in 1791 in Dearborn County.
The Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture sponsors the semi-annual award ceremony. For more information about the award program, call the OCA at 317-232-8770, or log onto www.in.gov/oca.
