150-Year-Old Family Farms Award from State Fair

Has your family owned your farm for 100 or 150 years? Your tradition should be celebrated!

Officials at Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, are pleased to announce that applications are now available for the 2012 Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award. The 2012 Fair will take place Thursday, August 2 through Sunday, August 12 at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.

To qualify for the award, families are required to provide proof of continuous family ownership of a property in the state of Wisconsin for either the last 100 or 150 years. All property owners will be honored at a special Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award program held on Tuesday, August 7 in conjunction with the 2012 Wisconsin State Fair.

Honorees will receive complimentary Fair admission tickets, an invitation to the awards breakfast sponsored by Hillshire Farm, a commemorative photo, certificate and outdoor display sign provided by Hillshire Farm, a longtime program sponsor.

The Century Farm and Home Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently 8,583 Century Farms and Homes nestled throughout the Badger State. The Sesquicentennial Program originated in 1998 as part of the State's Sesquicentennial Celebration, and since that time, 616 families have been honored. In 2011, 138 Century properties and 30 Sesquicentennial properties were honored for carrying on Wisconsin’s rich family farming tradition.

To request a copy of either application, write to Century or Sesquicentennial Farm & Home Program, 640 South 84th Street, West Allis, WI  53214, or call Jill Albanese, Program Coordinator, at (414) 777-0580. Applications are not available online. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2012, and only one certificate is issued per property.

The 2012 Wisconsin State Fair, presented by U.S. Cellular, will take place Thursday, August 2 through Sunday, August 12. The Wisconsin State Fair offers an original experience to all that attend and is a phenomenal value with 30 FREE entertainment stages, thousands of animals, endless family activities, events, contests, vendors and culinary delights. For the most up-to-date information visit WiStateFair.com.