Program seeking more century-old farms

Since 1976, the Missouri Century Farm program has been honoring area farms that have been in the family for 100 years or more.

Thousands of farms are already listed by Century Farms, but the organization hopes to add more by the end of 2006.

"We want to recognize farmers who have played a vital agricultural role in Missouri," said coordinator Andy Emerson.

During the last 30 years, 85 farms in Cape Girardeau County have been added to the list. The Charles P. Hutson Sr. farm in Jackson will be added Feb. 21. A celebration dinner will be held that day to honor the Hutson farm and other area farms.

Hutson has original property deeds that date back to 1890s.

"The farm was acquired through my grandmother's line, the Craig family," said Hutson's son, Charles Jr. "I grew up on the farm, where we raised angus beef, and was involved with the cattle operation until I went into the service in 1969. It was an honor for me to grow up on a farm in rural Cape County."

Originally called Centennial Farm, the program changed names to Century Farms in 1986 when the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the University of Missouri Extension recognized 1,080 century-old farms.

Since 1987, 2,725 more farms have been recognized. In 2005, 255 farms, six of those in Cape Girardeau County, were added to the list.

"We update the list every year, adding new farms all the time," Emerson said. "We're looking for additional farms to include in the list for 2006."

Those who wish to be included in the Missouri Century Farm list must provide a copy of their property deed that shows when the farm was purchased by the family. The same family must own the farm for 100 or more consecutive years as of Dec. 31, 2006.

Farms must include at least 40 acres of the original land acquisition, and make a financial contribution to the overall farm income. Owners do not have to live on their farms to be considered for the list.