Two Berks County farms are among 11 recently cited by state officials as bicentennial or century farms.
Seven families were honored for their centennial farms — farms that have remained in the same family for 100 years — and four families were honored for their bicentennial farms, including one of the state’s oldest, dating back to the Revolutionary War, officials said in a release.
The Berks families honored for centennial farms:
• Michael and Ellen Angstadt, Kutztown: The Adam family has farmed their 120-acre since 1917, when Henry R. Adam purchased the land. Today, Michael Angstadt continues the family tradition by operating a crop farm, with several original buildings, including the early 1800s family home, still in use.
• Elizabeth Keller, Kutztown: The Angstadt family has farmed their 50-acre property since 1887, when Joshua and Louisa Angstadt purchased the land. Ownership has passed through generations, and many original buildings remain in use today, including Elizabeth’s home, built in the early 1800s and once a bed-and-breakfast. Elizabeth continues the family’s longstanding agricultural tradition.
The farms are among 36 century farms and 14 bicentennial farms in Berks, officials said.
The other farms honored were in Butler, Clearfield, Fayette, Indiana, Mercer, Perry, and Wayne counties.
One of the bicentennial designations went to the Cook family of Belle Vernon, Fayette County. Officials said the Cook family has farmed their 402-acre property since 1769, when Edward Cook, a Revolutionary War-era farmer, surveyor and civic leader, purchased the land. Today, Mark and Robert Cook continue the legacy, farming 30 acres and operating an on-farm market while the original 1772 home remains in use.
The goal of the program is to highlight the importance of Pennsylvania’s economic and rural heritage and traditions. Since the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture launched the Century Farm program in 1977 and the Bicentennial Farm program in 2004, the state has recognized 2,378 century and bicentennial farms, and two tricentennial farms, officials said.
“Celebrating these family farms is a testament to Pennsylvania’s enduring agricultural heritage,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Generations of hard work, dedication and innovation have preserved these lands, strengthened local communities and fed our commonwealth. We honor these families for their commitment to farming and for keeping Pennsylvania’s agricultural legacy alive for the future.”
Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of preserved farms, officials said. Since 1988, when voters statewide overwhelmingly supported creating the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, the state has protected 6,648 farms and 661,035 acres in 58 counties from future development, investing more than $1.84 billion in state, county and local funds.