14 Winneshiek County farms receive state recognition

The Iowa Department of Agriculture has recognized 14 Winneshiek County farms with either Century Farm or Heritage Farm designations.

To qualify for Century Farm designation, a family must have owned a farm of at least 40 acres for 100 years or more.  Winneshiek County farms receiving the Century Farm designation were those owned by Merlin and Alice Bentley of 12668 W. Ravine Road in Ridgeway; Loren and Janine Brandt of 1362 175th Street in Postville; Carol Dowe of 3498 198th Avenue in Decorah; Paul and Kathy Gnade of 1498 252nd Avenue in Fort Atkinson; Leland and Connie Hovey of 3782 303rd Avenue in Cresco; Larry and Sandra Rothmeyer of 1177 227th Avenue in Fort Atkinson; Bruce Sersland of 1688 182nd Street in Decorah; Todd and Paula Snell of 3813 258th Avenue in Decorah; and Dorothy Walters of 3392 220th Street in Cresco.

To qualify as a Heritage Farm, a family must own at least 40 acres for 150 years or more.  Five Winneshiek County farms were recognized as Heritage Farms: those belonging to Dale and Karen Green of 1126 Maple Valley Road in Castalia; to Carlton Kjos of 2579 265th Avenue in Decorah; to Carol McCabe of 2466 County Road A-14 in Decorah; to Linus Rothmeyer of 2209 180th Street in Calmar; and to Arlene Stendel of 1575 134th Avenue in Castalia.