Farms designated ‘Century Farms’

Submitted Photo 
Whitny Haley, her husband Pat and son Garrett, along with her parents, Leon and Beverly Whiteside, are pictured with Butch Calhoun, secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, after receiving a Century Farms certifi cate and sign on Nov. 19.
Submitted Photo Whitny Haley, her husband Pat and son Garrett, along with her parents, Leon and Beverly Whiteside, are pictured with Butch Calhoun, secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, after receiving a Century Farms certifi cate and sign on Nov. 19.

— Two farms in western Benton County were designated as “Century Farms” at special ceremonies held Nov. 19 in Ozark. Included in the 102 Arkansas farms so designated in 2013 were the Thomas Turner Netherton Farm, near Maysville, and the Homestead Farm in Highfill.

The Thomas Turner Netherton Farm is owned and operated by Pat and Whitny Haley.

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Submitted Photo Cassie and Scott Elliott receive a certifi cate and sign on Nov. 19 from Butch Calhoun, secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, designating their farm as a Century Farm.

Homestead Farms isowned and operated by Scott and Cassie Elliott. They are the sixth generation on the farm that was founded in 1860 and are hoping their children will be the seventh.

In order to qualify for the special designation and receive a sign, the farm must have been owned by members of the same family for 100 years by Dec. 31. The farm must include at least 10 acres of the original land acquisition and the original land must make a fi nancial contribution to the overall farm income.

The certifi cates and signs, designating the farms as “Century Farms,” were presented by Butch Calhoun, secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, at special ceremonies held across the state.

The Arkansas Century Farm program recognizes Arkansas’ rich agricultural heritage and honors families who have owned and farmed the same land for at least 100 years. The program is voluntary, places no restrictions on the land and does not require a fee.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/04/2013