135 Families Honored with Hoosier Homestead Award

The Hoosier Homestead Award program was created in 1976 by the Division of Agriculture under the Indiana Department of Commerce – what is now the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The program recognizes farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years with a Centennial Award, for 150 years with a Sesquicentennial Award and for 200 years with a Bicentennial Award. Since the program’s inception, more than 6,000 farms that have received this tremendous honor. 135 additional families were added to that list on Wednesday at the Indiana State Fair.

“It’s very exciting,” explains Pam Bundy. “It’s hard to believe. I was just waking up this morning and I’m thinking I can’t believe this is happening for all of us. Family came in from Georgia too and I’m very happy about that.”

Bundy and her family received the Bicentennial award for having the farm in the same family for over 200 years. Their Johnson County homestead was formed in 1820.

She says the plan is to keep the farm in the family for many generations to come. Why is that so important to her?

“I think because of our dad. We know how hard he worked on the farm when he was growing up because he pretty much lived there all of his life and both my sister and I know how hard he worked and how hard we used to help him and other people too.”

The award was established to recognize the contributions these farming families have made to the economic, cultural and social advancements of Indiana. Hoosier Ag Today livestreamed the ceremonies so family, friends, and fellow farmers could join in the celebration. You can watch the archived videos below. You can also see the names of the homesteads honored with a Hoosier Homestead Award below.