PINE GROVE FURNACE, Pa. — Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recently honored two Pennsylvania families who have kept their farms in the family for at least 200 years.
The Donald and Donna Kerchner family, of Lenhartsville, Berks County, and the Richard Thomas family, of Troy, Bradford County, had their farms named Bicentennial Farms during a ceremony Aug. 10 at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days.
Redding also honored nine families who achieved Century Farm status for keeping their farms in the same family for 100 years. Families from Armstrong, Berks, Bradford, Butler, Centre, Columbia, Jefferson, Perry, Somerset and York counties were honored with the designation.
Since the Century Farm program’s inception in 1977 and 2004 when the Bicentennial Farm program began, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has recognized more than 2,300 farms. Farms receive a sign to post on their property noting the achievement. To qualify, a family member must live on the farm on a permanent basis. The farm must consist of at least 10 acres of the original parcel or gross more than $1,000 annually from the sale of farm products.
Following are the Century and Bicentennial Farms named this year:
Armstrong County
Roger and Sandy Kromer Farm, Kittanning.
The Kromer Farm is a Black Angus beef farm, handed down from Sandy Kromer’s grandparents, who bought it in 1923. A grainery and wooden corn crib from the original farm are still in use. Roger, Jr. and Danielle Kromer are raising their children on the farm.
Armstrong County is home to 60 Century and five Bicentennial Farms.
Berks County
Kerchner Family Farm, Bicentennial Farm.
Donald’s great, great grandfather, George Adam Zettlemoyer, purchased the farm in 1790. Today, the family raises beef cattle on more than 97 acres of the original purchase.
Berks County has 33 Century and 12 Bicentennial Farms.
Bradford County
Thomas Family Trust Farm, Troy, Bicentennial Farm.
In 1802, during Pennsylvania-Connecticut border disputes, Noah Wilson bought 3,000 acres in what would eventually become Bradford County. Dr. Reuben Rowley served in the Revolutionary War, and after he served received approximately 148 acres, of the land, where he settled, continuing to practice medicine and farm. Reuben’s descendent Richard Thomas inherited the farm in 1973 and has placed the farm in a trust in the names of his son and grandchildren.
The original 1802 farmhouse still stands, and a one-room schoolhouse built on the farm in 1844 was donated to the Troy Heritage Village and Farm Museum and moved there.
Bradford County is home to 53 Century and three Bicentennial Farms.
Butler County
Tom and Edie Brain Farm, Harmony.
Purchased for $2,800 by Tom Brain’s great, great grandfather, a German immigrant, in 1916, the farm was worked during the 1940s by Tom’s father. He also worked building many of Pittsburgh’s bridges. The original 65 acres are still in use on the honey and beef farm.
Butler County is home to 99 Century and two Bicentennial Farms.
Centre County
Joanne M. Fisher Farm, Warriors Mark.
Fisher inherited the 150-acre beef farm in 2010, from her parents. It was purchased in 1895 by her great-grandfather George D. Wilson and his brother William L.
Centre County is home to 43 Century and two Bicentennial Farms.
Columbia County
David and Donna Klingerman Farm, Bloomsburg, Columbia County.
All 83 of the original acres purchased by David’s grandfather John E. Klingerman in 1922 are still in use. The farm is a grain operation and the original barn and house are still in use.
Columbia County has 29 Century and two Bicentennial Farms.
Jefferson County
Richard J. Carol Farm, Punxsutawney.
Primarily a grain farm with all 36 original acres, and an original barn and shed are still in use. Richard’s great-grandfather purchased the farm in 1897.
Jefferson County is home to 77 Century Farms.
Perry County
Dorman Family Farm, Duncannon.
Elizabeth Woods purchased the farm in 1877 after having immigrated from Scotland to Philadelphia with her parents in 1849. On her death, she passed the farm to her daughter Henrietta. Thirty-three of the original 35 acres are still in use on the corn, barley, and timber farm.
Perry County is home to 37 century and five bicentennial farms.
Somerset County
Mark and Ryan Sechler Farm, Confluence.
The farm on Chickenbone Road was purchased in 1873 by Ryan’s great, great, great, great grandfather for $35 an acre. All 230.25 acres are still in use on the dairy farm, which is home to two generations of the Sechler family.
Somerset County has 63 Century and eight Bicentennial farms.
York County
Thomas, Gregory and George Perry Farm, York.
The farm was purchased in 1923 by the Perry brothers’ great grandfather Harry Lincoln Perry, an Illinois transplant who served in the PA House of Representatives. The farm is a dairy operation with a farm store with three original buildings still in use.
Leroy R. and Joyce A. Bupp Farm, Seven Valleys.
Leroy and Joyce Bupp live in the 150-year-old farmhouse built by Leroy’s great-grandfather. Leroy, who is recognized as a conservation pioneer by the Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance, began implementing his first conservation plan in 1963. His maternal grandfather and mentor purchased the first no-till planter in York County.
The Bupp’s family dairy farm expanded in 1965 to become Bupplynn Farms. The family preserved the land in 2000, committing the farm to remain forever in productive agriculture.
York County has 52 century and nine Bicentennial Farms.
