By: Taylor Bowden / Assistant News Director

The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau have recognized 124 Minnesota farms as 2021 Century Farms. Farms that qualify have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and are 50 acres or more.

Seven farms in our area have earned the title of Century Farm. One in Benton County and six in Stearns.

From Benton County:

• Mendel Farm in Sauk Rapids has been operating since 1915.

In Stearns County:

• Robert and Loreli Yurczyk in Avon since 1920.     
• Sogge’s Bearhollow Farm in Eden Valley since 1894.  
• Donnay in Kimball since 1920.    
• Sundermann Farm in Melrose since 1893.   
• Robert & Carol Heitke in Paynesville since 1921.     
• Urban & Mary Kay Warnert in St. Joseph since 1914.

Century Farm families will receive a commemorative sign as well as a certificate signed by the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau presidents and Governor Tim Walz.

The program began in 1976, and since then nearly 11,000 Minnesota farms have been recognized as Century Farms. A database on all Minnesota Century farms can be found at https://fbmn.org/.