The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau have jointly acknowledged the significance of 89 farms as Century Farms and 43 farms as Sesquicentennial Farms in 2023.
To qualify as a Sesquicentennial Farm, a farm must have been in continuous family ownership for a minimum of 150 years, encompass an area of 50 acres or more, and currently engage in agricultural production.
Century Farm awards are presented to farms that have been in continuous family ownership for at least a century and cover an area of 50 acres or more.
Families of Sesquicentennial Farms will receive a commemorative certificate signed by prominent figures including the Governor, the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the President of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.
Additionally, they will be provided with an outdoor sign denoting their Sesquicentennial Farm recognition. Century Farm honorees will receive a commemorative sign and a certificate signed by the presidents of the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau, along with the Governor.
Among the Century Farm honorees in 2023 is the Koopmann Farm in rural Fulda, Murray County. Originally purchased by Henry Koopmann in 1898, the farm has since passed down through multiple generations. The current owner, Jean Meier Guyse, has owned the 80-acre farm for 47 years, continuing its tradition of corn and soybean production. Similarly, other Century Farm recipients such as Barbara Ann Everson, Donald and Janet Sieve, and Jesse Feeken have maintained their family-owned farms for over a century, each with their unique stories and agricultural endeavors.
The partnership between the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau celebrates the historical significance and resilience of these farms, highlighting the enduring legacy of agricultural heritage in the region.
Categories: Minnesota, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, General