Keeping a farm or homestead in the family for more than 100 or 150 years is truly a great accomplishment. On Tuesday August 8, families that have done just that will get together at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis for a celebratory breakfast. Jill Albanese with the Wisconsin State Fair Park shares more about the Century and Sesquicentennial Farm Program.
The Century Farm Awards Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently nearly 10,000 Century Farms nestled throughout the Badger State.
“The Sesquicentennial Program similarly originated in 1998 as part of the State’s sesquicentennial Celebration. We have since honored over 980 properties,” says Albanese.
To qualify for the award, families are required to provide proof of continuous family ownership of a property for either the last 100 or 150 years. Applications for the Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award will become available in November and are due March 1, 2024.
Albanese says, “Properties in 70 of Wisconsin’s counties have been honored with the Century Farm Award since it first started. Since 1998, properties in 56 of the state’s 72 counties have received the Sesquicentennial Farm Award.”
This year Albanese says they will recognize over 80 Century farms and over 30 sesquicentennial farms.
You can listen to some of these farm stories that are being recognized here.
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