What is a Centennial Farm?
Centennial farms are farms that have been in the same family for 100 years or more. They're special because they represent a way of life that is quickly disappearing, but also because they're a testament to the resilience of our state's farmers and ranchers.
Often passed down from generation to generation, Centennial farms can tell us a lot about changes in agricultural practices over time. For example, if you look at a centennial farm from the 1850s, you'll see that they were likely using horses instead of tractors. If you look at one from the 1950s, you'll see that it was likely using tractors instead of horses. These kinds of changes are important for understanding how farming has changed over time—and how people's lives have changed as well!
They're also a great indicator of environmental health: when you have a farm that's been around for decades, it means you have healthy soil and water, which means your community is in good shape too. That's why we need to make sure these farms stay around!
There are more than 35,000 farms in Washington State, but closer to 500 of them have been active since the turn of the 20th century. Many of them have been raising wheat and barley since the beginning. We honor those unique families who still farm their ancestors' original homestead of 100+ years ago.
Read the stories of our Centennial farmers here.