History Colorado-Centennial Farms

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History Colorado - Centennial Farms Webpage

Barn Media & History Colorado’s EXCLUSIVE coverage of the 2012 Centennial Farms Program…

Colorado Centennial Farms Celebrates the Strength, Endurance and Perseverance of Farming and Ranching Families

Ten Colorado farms and ranches will be recognized at the State Fair in Pueblo on Aug. 24

Denver — Ten Colorado families who have owned and operated their farm or ranch for 100 years or more will be recognized during the 26th Annual Centennial Farms Celebration on Friday, August 24 at 4 p.m. The awards ceremony will be held on the Pepsi Stage in Family Park at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, Colo., where honorees will receive a certificate signed by Governor John Hickenlooper and other state officials, as well as a sign to display on their property.

Ed Nichols, President and CEO of History Colorado and John Salazar, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, will make acknowledgements and present awards to family representatives.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation recognizes families who have demonstrated stewardship of their historic agricultural sites by maintaining four or more structures on their property that have survived for 50 years with a Historic Structures Award, and 12 of the 18 families will be recognized.

2012 Colorado Centennial Farm Awardees:

 

Farm/Ranch Name                                    Year Settled                       Town, County

Corliss Ranch	1895	Stratton/ Kit Carson
Gayle and Richard Anderson Farm	1911	Sedgwick/ Sedgwick
George Poe Family Farm	1912	Stratton/ Kit Carson
Greenwood Farm	1912	Holyoke/ Phillips
Hogan Ranch	1899	Kit Carson/ Cheyenne
John Allen Ranch LLC	1911	Craig/ Moffat
Magnuson Farm	1910	Eaton/ Weld
Porter Farm	1912	Lindon/ Washington
Ruben Richardson Farm	1911	Yuma/ Yuma
Templeton Ranch on Tabeguache Creek	1910	Nucla/ Montrose

The Centennial Farms Program started in 1986. It is sponsored by History Colorado, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Colorado State Fair, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The awards honor Colorado’s families who have maintained ownership of their land for more than a century in spite of the economic challenges that face modern farming. At the ceremony, a brief history of each farm is presented, including stories of prosperity and hardship. Family representatives are available for interviews at a reception following the ceremony.

“These long-standing farm and ranch families play an integral role in preserving important aspects of Colorado’s history,” said Nichols. “In spite of the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought, and economic conditions, these families have maintained their way of life while many historic barns and other agricultural sites around the nation are disappearing at an alarming rate.”

For more information about the Centennial Farms Program or to receive an application and brochure, please call the State Historical Fund at 303-866-2825 or vist ColoradoCentennialFarms.org.

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About History Colorado
Established in 1879, the Colorado Historical Society—today’s History Colorado—preserves Colorado’s rich heritage through the State Historical Fund, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, collections stewardship, statewide museums and programs for students, educators and visitors of all ages. History Colorado is headquartered in the History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203 in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District. Find History Colorado at Facebook.com/HistoryColorado and @HistoryColorado. For more information, visit HistoryColorado.org or call (303) HISTORY.

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CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEWS BELOW FROM 2011

• EXCLUSIVE Audio/Video Coverage of the 2011 Colorado Centennial Farms Honoree Presentation from the 2011 Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, CO from August 26th @ 4pm from the Pepsi Stage – CLICK HERE
• EXCLUSIVE Audio Interviews posted here during 2011 with all of this year’s Centennial Farms Award Honorees - LOOK BELOW…MORE COMING IN 2012 starting in February.
• EXCLUSIVE Audio/Video Interviews with members of History Colorado Staff regarding the Centennial Farms Program and/or other History Colorado events or news items.

The 2011 Colorado Centennial Farms Honorees are:

Albert and Thelma Brown Homestead, Yuma, Yuma County (1911)

Box T Ranch, Arapahoe, Cheyenne County (1908)

Elliott Farms, Monte Vista, Rio Grande County (1908)

Fast Heritage Farm, Joes, Yuma County (1911)

Irwin Farm, Lamar, Prowers County (1897)

Kidd Ranch, Sugar City, Crowley County (1911) CLICK HERE to listen to the interview with Gary & Rick Kidd…

Leroux Ranch, Radium, Grand County (1905). CLICK the picture to listen to the interview…

J.A. Lindahl & Co, Akron, Washington County (1906)…Our daughter Kris Vrooman and her family Lee, Justin, Allison, and Megan also Tim’s family, Sarah, Elizabeth, Caroline, & Joy attended the presentation at the state Fair via the BARN Media LIVE webcast as Kris lives in central NE and Tim’s family because of school commitments was unable to attend in person…CLICK HERE to listen to the interview with Carl Lindahl from November the 8th, 2011

Link Farm, Genoa, Lincoln County (1910)

McLain Family Ranch…CLICK HERE to listen to the interview with Ladonna Mclain of Parlin, CO and the history of their operation in Gunnison County…

Dennis L. Munson, Sedgwick, Sedgwick County (1907) – AUDIO ONLY - 102411_DennisLMunson_3m50s_FINAL

Shapley Ranch, Stoneham, Weld County (1910)

The Skold family during the Centennial Farms celebration at the Colorado State Fair.  Skold Farm, Haxtun, Sedgwick County (1911)CLICK the picture to listen to the interview

Spomer Farm, Milliken, Weld County (established in 1911) – In the picture with Van & Ella Marie Hayes is CO Ag Commissioner John Salazar & Special Policy Advisor on Water to the Governor’s Office John Stulp & Ed Nichols – President of History Colorado.Spomer Farm, Haxtum, Weld County (1911)CLICK HERE to visit the History-CO Centennial Farm SPOMER Webpage to listen to the interview and see more pictures of their operation.

Thoma Farm, Woodrow, Washington County (1909)

Valentine Ranch LLC, Aguilar, Las Animas County (1907)

Walker Family Ranch, Westcliffe, Custer County (1911)…CLICK HERE to listen their interview inside the BARN

Whomble-Welton Farm & Ranch, Wray, Yuma County (1910)

See a list of all past award honorees (PDF)

ORDER YOUR KEEPSAKE DVD OF THE AWARDS PRESENTATION – CLICK HERE

The BARN/BarnMedia is proud to partner with History Colorado to be the “official radio partner” for the 2011 Centennial Farms Program.

“I look forward to meeting all of this year’s Centennial Farms Honorees and helping History Colorado archive the rich traditions and memories of this year’s honorees…it is an honor to serve them and to work on behalf of History Colorado to do so.”

- Brian Allmer, Owner/Host of The BARN & Barn Media

CLICK HERE to visit the History Colorado Centennial Farms Webpage

For More Information Contact:

Lyle Miller

SHF Outreach Specialist Centennial Farms Coordinator 303-866-2779

NEWS/EVENT PRESS RELEASES

08-05-11 State Historical Fund awards over $6 million in grants to communities across Colorado

 Centennial Farms Program History & Background

The Colorado Centennial Farms program designates farms and ranches that have been owned and operated by the same family for 100 years or more.

Background

In 1986 the Colorado Centennial Farms program was created by Governor Richard D. Lamm, the Colorado Historical Society (now History Colorado) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture to recognize the important role agriculture has played in our state’s history and economic development.  Today, the program is administered by the State Historical Fund, a program of History Colorado.  The Colorado Centennial Farms program was the first program of its kind in the nation to give a Historic Structures Award to families who have successfully preserved historic buildings on their farms and ranches.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides this additional recognition.

Why are Centennial Farms Important?

Across the nation, family farms and ranches, historic barns and other agricultural sites are disappearing at an alarming rate.  Yet in Colorado, the family farm and working cattle ranch serve as a reminder of how the West was settled.

The contributions of Colorado’s long-standing farm and ranch families are significant because generations of these families have withstood the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought and economic conditions to preserve these important pieces of our state’s commercial and cultural history.

The Colorado Centennial Farms program not only illustrates the significance of agricultural sites to the development of Colorado, it also shows how vital these properties still are to the well-being of our state today.  Colorado Centennial Farms provide open space and food, as well as support our state’s economy and remind us of our past.

Centennial Farm fact sheet

Annual Awards Ceremony

Each year, Colorado’s newest centennial farm and ranch families are honored during an awards ceremony held in late August at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.  Honorees receive a sign to display on their property, as well as a certificate signed by the Governor and other state officials.

For more information about the Colorado Centennial Farms program or to receive an application and brochure, please contact the State Historical Fund. CLICK HERE

History Colorado & Centennial Farms logos are used with their permission