In the middle of one of the worst droughts Indiana has been through in years, some farmers say they and their ancestors weathered times like these before. Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman Wednesday honored families who have kept their farms going through thick and thin for more than a century.
The Hoosier Homestead Awards honors farms that have been continuously owned by the same family for at least one hundred years. Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman helped present the awards to 75 families at the State Fairgrounds. She says in the seven and a half years she’s been giving out the awards, she always expected the number of honorees to go down.
“Today’s ceremony was the largest number of recipients we’ve had during my time as lieutenant governor.”
The Mardis sisters – June and Margaret – have a farm in Johnson County in central Indiana that’s been in their family since 1906. Margaret Mardis says, with the drought, it’s going to be a struggle to make enough money to plant again next year.
“We’ve seen droughts before but I’m not sure that one has ever affected us as much as it has this year. You know, usually rain is spotty…and the spots have missed us.”
Still, Margaret and June say they’re confident they’ll survive and be back to receive another Homestead award next year.
