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Farm families receive Hoosier Homestead Award

Funke farms has been owned by the same family for more than 150 years.

Karen White says the southern Indiana farm was started by her grandfather Otto Funke in 1867.

“After my father passed, my brother farmed it and he has since passed,and his son farmed it and has since passed,” she says. “So now my great nephew farms it.”

Her family was one of 65 families to receive the Hoosier Homestead award today.

The award recognizes farms that are owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years that have more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 of ag products each year.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler told the farm families that Indiana would be a lesser place if it wasn’t for each of them.

White says the recognition was an emotional one.

“It’s beyond words,” she says. “It’s something when I found out about it, being a descendant of the Funke family, I knew I wanted to do this.”

More than 5,000 families have received the award since the program started in 1976.

Families can receive the centennial award for 100 years of ownership, the sesquicentennial award for 150 years and the bicentennial award for 200 years.

Audio: Karen White, North Vernon, Indiana