Ag News
Centennial Farms recognized at Georgia National Fair
Posted on Oct 10, 2018 at 0:00 AM
Since 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm program has honored more than 530 farms for being in continuous operation for 100 years or more, with most owned by the same family. Another 18 farms from across Georgia were recognized for their historic contribution to Georgia agriculture during the program’s annual ceremony on Oct. 5 at the Georgia National Fair in Perry.
“I want to congratulate each one of y’all for being able to hold your farms together for 100 years,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long said to the recipients during the awards ceremony. “As I’ve talked to some of you, I’ve learned that most of y’all are the third or fourth generation on your farm. It’s unique when we stop and think about what our forefathers had to go through so we could be here today. For 81 years Georgia Farm Bureau has been working to represent Georgia farmers in the legislative arena so families like yours can continue to farm.”
Farms may be recognized with one of three awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are not listed in the NRHP. The Centennial Farm Award doesn’t require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old and listed in the NRHP.
This year's recipients are: Centennial Heritage Farm Award - Lebanon Plantation, Chatham County; Centennial Family Farm Award - Darsey Family Farm, Appling County; Malbone Farms, Bartow County; Hillhouse Farms, Cherokee County; C.H. Cannon Family Farm, Colquitt County; Cleveland Farm, Crawford County; Lewis Farm, Crisp County; Muse Farm, Houston County; Harper-McWhorter Farm, Irwin County; Merk Farms, Jackson County; Jimmie L. & Ann B. Cowart Farm, Jenkins County; Ruffin Family Farm, Monroe/Upson Counties; Triple H Family Farm, Peach County; Rutland Farms, Polk County; Max E. Beverly Farm, Thomas County; Old Home Place, Mitchell County; Waller Farms, Washington County; Wood-Watson Farm, Wilcox County.
GFB members will be interested to note that Malbone Farms in Bartow County is owned by descendants of Robert M. Stiles, the first president of Georgia Farm Bureau. Many of the other recipients are Farm Bureau members.
Georgia Farm Bureau is proud to partner with the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to sponsor the program. Other program sponsors include the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia EMC.
Farm owners interested in applying for the award in 2019 should visit http://georgiashpo.org/centennialfarms or contact Sarah Love at 770-389-7856 or sarah.love@dnr.ga.gov. The postmark deadline for applications is May 1 of each year.
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