Century farms play important role

Editor's note: This story appeared in the fall 2026 edition of Roots magazine. In a state where agriculture remains one of the leading industries, century farms stand as proof of Ohio's rural resilience. In 1993, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, along with the Ohio History Connection and "Ohio's Country Journal" magazine, came together to create the Ohio Century Farm program, said Erin Dillon, program administrator of Ohio's Historic Family Farms program. The Ohio Department of Agriculture recognizes a century farm as one that has been owned and operated by the same family for between 100 and 149 years. "They were accepting entries for an awards-based program at the time," she said. Families were selected to be recognized at the Farm Science Review, a three-day agriculture trade and education show. One of the farms was then named Century Farm of the Year, said Dillon. That format was used until 2003 when the state agriculture department became the sole sponsor, and the program evolved into the Ohio Century Farm program. "And instead of an award-based program, it became a recognition-based program," said Dillon. "And anyone who applied and qualified was awarded the recognition." Those farms that had been recognized earlier were not grandfathered in, she noted. So anyone who wanted the new designation had to apply for it. That milestone represents far more than longevity — it reflects commitment, adaptation, and a deep-rooted belief in stewardship that continues to shape the future of farming across the state. Ohio's Historic Family Farms Program also recognizes sesquicentennial farms (150-199 years) and bicentennial farms (200+ years). In all, more than 2,000 farms in Ohio have one of the three designations. Dillon said it continues to be a popular program. The United States Department of Agriculture reported that there are more than 70,000 farms in Ohio as of 2023. There are over 2,300 registered Ohio Historic Family Farms, with at least five farms in each of the state's 88 counties. The application process is extensive, requiring documentation of both proof of ownership and proof of relation. The family also needs to send in the deed work. They can have a family member, a title agency or their family attorney do that, or they can go to the county recorder's office and pull deeds, she said. "But county recorders are a great asset, I think, as like boots on the ground kind of people who can help with applications," Dillon said. "I always say, read over this paperwork I'm about to send you and then make a phone call to your county recorder." A history in agriculture Ohio's agricultural landscape is diverse, stretching from the Lake Erie shoreline from Toledo to Sandusky to Ashtabula and to the rolling Appalachian hills and areas abutting the Wayne National Forest. Grain, dairy, livestock, specialty crops, and produce operations all contribute to the state's farm economy. Century farms are woven into each of these sectors. Many began with horse-drawn equipment and hand labor, survived the Great Depression, adjusted through wartime production demands, modernized during the rise of mechanization, and today integrate precision technology and data-driven management. Their ability to evolve without losing their identity is part of what makes them so significant. At the core of every century farm is generational knowledge. Farming is not simply a business; it is a craft honed over decades. Soil types, drainage patterns and pest pressures are learned through experience that cannot be downloaded or quickly replicated. When that knowledge is passed from great-grandparents to grandparents to parents to children, it strengthens operational stability. This continuity often leads to better long-term land management decisions, because families who expect to pass their land to the next generation tend to think in decades rather than quarterly returns. Between Huron and Erie counties, nearly 40 farms hold one of the three designations. Burnham Orchards was founded in 1815 according to the Ohio Dept of Agriculture's website. More than 550 acres of century-old farmland were conserved with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. Easements granted by the Wallrabenstein family ensured 565 acres of farmland in Oxford and Milan townships would remain farmland. The easements restrict the development of the land. The WRLC's mission is to conserve, connect and sustain. "Western Reserve Land Conservancy is unique in its ability to complete projects on natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes alike," according to its website. Stewardship is one of the defining characteristics of century farms. In an era when farmland frequently changes hands or is converted to non-agricultural use, including solar farms, these farms demonstrate a long-term investment in conservation. Many century farm families have adopted conservation tillage, cover crops, nutrient management plans, and water quality practices not simply to meet regulations, but to preserve their land's productivity. Healthy soil is not an abstract concept to them; it is a legacy asset.