Friends and neighbors,
Minnesota has a long agricultural tradition. We are blessed with fertile soil and a climate well-suited for agriculture. We also have an amazing legacy of family farms – over 85% of farms here are small individual or family-owned operations. These farms are pillars of rural communities and represent our agricultural heritage.
Among these family farms, some very special ones have been worked continuously by the same families for over 100 years, some for more than 150 years. These historic farms are honored by the State Fair and Farm Bureau with Century Farm and Sesquicentennial Farm awards.
- Century farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and encompass 50 acres or more. Receiving the Century Farm honor is a momentous achievement, signifying a family’s commitment to preserving their land and way of life across multiple generations. Since the program began back in 1976, over 11,000 Minnesota farms have earned this distinguished recognition.
- The Sesquicentennial Farm designation is reserved for a rare and special group of farms that have remained in the same family for 150 years or more. To qualify, the farm must be at least 50 acres in size and actively involved in agricultural production. Just imagine – these families have nurtured the same land through the Civil War era, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and every other national and global event over the past century and a half.
We congratulate these generations-old farm families. They have cared for their land throughout history. They inspire us all. They show farms can thrive for generations with dedication. We celebrate their past success, and wish them prosperity in the future!
Sincerely,
SESQUICENTENNIAL FARMS
Chisago County
- Center City – Medin Farms, 1873
- Lindstrom – David C & Virginia K Johnson, 1873
CENTURY FARMS
Chisago County
- Taylors Falls – Bostrom Farm, 1911