UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Behind every bicentennial and century farm owner is generations of family members whose blood, sweet and tears have made it possible for today’s families to reap the benefits of farm fresh food.
For farmers like Tom Hall, the century farm designation is less about his work and more of a testament to those who came before him.
“It really pays tribute to our great-grandparents, and her parents for what they went through, how they persevered,” Hall said. “A lot of folks talk about the sacrifice and it takes a lot of cooperation, a lot of understanding and friendly disagreements to make it all happen and make it to where we got to this point for the century award. It’s just a testament to families bonding and sticking together.”
Six families, including two in western Pennsylvania, received century farm or bicentennial farm designations from the state department of agriculture on Aug. 15. at Penn State University’s annual Ag Progress Days.
The families given bicentennial farm status are Harry and Mary Hamill’s Farm in Ligonier and George and Barbara A. Hess’s Farm in Shoemakersville.
The four families who received century farm designations include Sharon Smith’s Family Farm in Waynesburg, Hall Family Farm in Port Matilda, Bonita and John F. Troxell Jr.’s Farm in Northumberland and Richard and Ivonne Bucher’s Farm in Millerstown.
Hamill Family Bicentennial Farm
Harry’s great-great-great-great-grandfather John Hamill received 439 acres in 1761 through a land grant. John emigrated from Ireland and worked as a farmer, attorney and Fairfield Township’s constable. The original springhouse and home, built in 1892, still stand today, as well as a two-story log cabin.
Harry attended grade school at Hamill School, a one-room schoolhouse that was on the Hamill’s original property and was only a few feet away from his doorstep. While growing up, he worked at a fruit stand selling produce like sweet corn that was grown on the farm. He sold sweet corn for 90 cents a dozen.
“Dad (didn’t) give an allowance, you had to earn your own money. So that’s what I did. I think I had the first sweet corn in the valley,” Harry said.
Alongside sweet corn, Harry’s family had roughly 40 bee hives in high school. Harry took over operations around 1961 after he married his wife Mary. Today, the family still raises beef cattle on 122 acres of the original farm.
Harry also served in the National Guard for four years; the longest he has been away from the farm was five weeks during basic training. His favorite part of farming is the peace and quiet it provides: “I get up on a hill and I can talk to myself. Nobody pays their attention to me, you’re on your own out there,” Harry said.
He adds he couldn’t have farmed for so long without the support of his brother-in-law and neighbors. Harry hopes to remain on the farm forever.
“Whenever I die, they’re gonna cremate me and I’m probably gonna be the last Hamill on that farm. They’re gonna shake me out up there on the hill,” Harry said.
The Hamill’s farm is located in Westmoreland County, where 11 bicentennial farms and 36 century farms are located.
Hess Family Bicentennial Farm
The Hess family farm was bought by George’s great-great-great-grandfather, Jacob Seidel, on March 30, 1805. At the time, Seidel bought 288 acres for 5.39 British pounds per acre, equivalent to roughly $167,892 in 2024. Today, 165 of the original acres are still farmed today.
Additionally, the original farmhouse and springhouse, built in 1856, are still being used. A portion of the Hess’s farm was preserved through a conversation easement purchased in 2004. The farm resides in Berks County, which is home to 34 century and 13 bicentennial farms.
Sharon Smith Family Century Farm
Sharon’s grandparents James Monroe and Fannie Stewart purchased roughly 365 acres on Feb. 28, 1901. Sharon bought the farm from her grandparents in 1974. Today, they continue to raise Black Angus beef and grow produce on roughly 173 of the original acres. Some of the original buildings are still in use today.
The Smith Family Farm is located in Greene County, where 32 century and three bicentennial farms are located.
Bonita and John F. Troxell Jr. Century Farm
Henry Franklin Geise, John’s great-great-grandfather, bought the property in 1851. Geise served on the local school board, helped establish the township’s first phone company and worked on the board of directors for Northumberland National Bank.
Additionally, the local grange met at the farm. John’s parents received a portion of the farm as a wedding gift, before John and Bontia took over ownership in 1989. The Troxell’s originally raised dairy cattle. Today, they grow corn, wheat, soybeans and alfalfa.
Northumberland County is home to 39 century farms and four bicentennial farms.
Richard and Ivonne Bucher Century Farm
The farm was purchased by Daniel Bucher in 1850, one of three brothers who emigrated from Germany to Philadelphia in 1715. The family continues to use a log cabin from the original homestead and another home built in 1790.
The original 120 acres are still farmed today where the family grows corn and soybeans. The farm is located in Perry County which is home to 37 century and five bicentennial farms.
Hall Family Century Farm
The Hall Family Farm was purchased in 1896 by siblings Thomas and William Hall and Janis Goodman’s great-grandfather. The farm was originally a small dairy operation before Tom and his brother Bill Hall took over the farm in 1982 and transitioned to raising beef cattle.
Tom’s father worked on the railroad and as a dairy farmer, and his mother was also very active on the farm — his mother inherited the farm from her family. Tom, Bill and their sister all helped out and had show calves and pet cows. From a young age, however, Tom realized farming wasn’t viable without an outside income. Therefore, he took up a position as a lecturer at Penn State in 1982. During his time at Penn State, he also worked as a compensation manager.
Around the same time he took over operations and began his position at Penn State, Tom built a house on the farm. Today, he is retired and his son Peter runs most operations. Peter works as a civil engineer by day, and he recently built a house on the farm where he lives with his wife.
The Hall Family Farm was recently approved as a preserved farmland by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Tom is grateful for the preservation as the farm is located in a growth corridor of State College where lots of farmland has been lost to development.
“It’s set aside for the rest of our lives, and whoever owns the farm lives,” Tom said. “At my point in my life, it’s been a dream. It’s just been something that I always look(ed) forward to.”
Despite the hard work, Tom remains grateful for his farm “(It) truly is a labor of love … If I had to live my life over again, I couldn’t write a better script,” Tom said.
Centre County has 43 century and two bicentennial farms.
The ceremony
The six families were honored with signs distributed by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. During the ceremony, Redding highlighted the importance of multi-generational farms to Pennsylvania’s heritage and future.
“These families embody the best of Pennsylvania agriculture and our commonwealth’s heritage,” Redding said. “They have not only been tirelessly devoted to feeding our communities for generations, but they are also passing down their family legacy to feed Pennsylvania’s future.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture created the Century Farm Program in 1977 and the Bicentennial Farm Program in 2004. More than 2,332 century and bicentennial farms have been recognized. The second tricentennial farm was recognized at the PA Farm Show in January.
To receive century or bicentennial farm status, the same family must own the same farm for at least 100 or 200 years and a family must live on the farm. The farm also needs to have at least 10 acres of the original holding or gross more than $1,000 annually from selling farm products.
(Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.)
