A
Centennial Farm is a farm or ranch in the United States that has been
officially recognized by a state documenting the farm has been continuously
owned by a single family for 100 years or more. Sesquicentennial Farms (150
years) and Bicentennial Farms (200 years) are also recognized.
During
the Kentucky Bicentennial (1992) Kentucky
started a “Heritage Farm Program” that recognized historic farms and ranches.
The Kentucky legislature passed a law in 1980, revised July 15, 1982, titled
“Kentucky Register of Heritage Farms” (Ky. Rev. Stat. 171.388) stating that to qualify a farm must comprise
at least 40 acres, shall have been owned by the same family at least 100 years,
be an active farm, and contain a structure more than 50 years old. Farms are certified by the Kentucky Heritage
Council, in conjunction with the State Preservation Office. An official
certificate is issued and signed by the Governor and various officials.
Ohio County
is blessed with two Sesquicentennial
Farms and five Centennial Farms. The following information is “as of” the
year 2000 and taken from a book titled: Kentucky’s Historic Farms: 200 years Of Kentucky
Agriculture, Turner Publishing, Inc. Paducah, published 1994, 1996, and
2000. Authors were Clark
Ph.D., Thomas; Beatty, Durwood W; Jarratt, C. Ardell; Amos, Christine; Hudson,
Karen E.
OHIO COUNTY CENTENNIAL FARMS
5.
IRENE COFFMAN BISHOP FARM: The Irene
Coffman Bishop Farm is located near Centertown,
Kentucky.
The
farm was originally purchased July 24, 1888, by William F. Coffman,
grandfather. Sallie M. Coffman,
grandmother, also acquired interest in the farm July 24, 1888. Irene Coffman
Bishop, mother, acquired the farm October 17, 1940, and Jerry C. Bishop, the
present owner, acquired the farm December 22, 1974.
The
original purchase contained 150 acres.
There are 72 acres still retained of the 150 acres. The farm at present
contains 72 acres with 28 acres being actively farmed. The farm’s major crops
include corn and soybeans.
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