Hoosier Homestead farms to be featured in new book

A view of farm equipment, a silo and barns on the Kerkhof farm in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. The Kerkhof family recently received a sesquicentennial Hoosier Homestead Award. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Staff Reports

A few weeks after the launch of the new “Hoosier Homestead Farms” book project that celebrates historic farming in Indiana, submissions are coming in from across Indiana.

More than 5,800 farms have been awarded the Hoosier Homestead Award — given to any farm in the state that has been owned and operated by the same family for 100, 150 or 200 years.

All of them are eligible to submit their free farm history of up to 300 words and photo to be included in this new book. There’s no purchase needed, and anyone who submits their farm history is guaranteed to be included in this once-in-a-generation book.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is partnering with publisher Acclaim Press to produce this coffee table book that honors agriculture in the state, with special focus on Hoosier Homestead families.

“Hoosier Homestead — Honoring Farm Legacy” will be an 8½-by-11-inch archive quality book that will not only contain a history of Indiana farming, but also shine a spotlight on the 5,800-plus farms honored by the ISDA’s Hoosier Homestead Award Program.

“Indiana has a rich history in agriculture,” said Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “The prospect of this book is very exciting and will further preserve our state’s heritage and the Hoosier farm family’s longstanding commitment to Indiana, agriculture and community.”

Any farm that’s been awarded the Hoosier Homestead Award may submit their farm history, which can include when it began, family legacy, crops grown, size of the farm, notable memories, etc.

You can submit your farm history either by visiting acclaimpress.com and clicking the Hoosier Homestead Farms book cover on the homepage or by emailing your 300 word farm history and photo to [email protected].

You also may reserve copy of the book on the website or by calling the publisher, Acclaim Press, at 573-472-9800 and requesting that you would like to reserve a copy.

The deadline for farm history submission is Aug. 31.