The farms of Bobbie and Carol Coble Sr. of Stafford and Randy and Jan Mooney of Rogersville will be joining 91 others recognized as century farms in Southwest Missouri. Family representatives will accept fence signs and certificates at a ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009 at the Ozark Empire Fair in the East Hall of the E-Plex.

A display inside of the E-Plex will highlight the history of century farms in Greene County. Other century farms in Southwest Missouri will be announced by the end of August.

The Missouri Century Farm Program annually recognizes Missouri farms that are still productive and have been in the same family for 100 years or more. When the Missouri Centennial Farm program was launched in 1976 there were 2,850 Missouri farm owners recognized. University of Missouri Extension renewed the Century Farm program in 1986 and since that time, nearly 3,000 more farms have been added to the program.

The Coble farm will be honored for 60 acres first purchased and farmed in 1892 by great grandfather, Ed Popejoy. Previous recognition already has been given to another portion of their acreage first farmed in 1872. The Mooneys will be honored for 40 qualifying acres first purchased and farmed in 1850 by their great grandfather M.M. Humble.

How to qualify

To qualify for the Missouri Century Farm designation, farms must have been family owned (direct descendants only) for 100 years or more and have at least 40 acres of the original land still making a financial contribution to the overall farm income.

To learn more about the program go online here.

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