The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau recognize 170 Minnesota farms as 2008 Century Farms.

Qualifying farms have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years and are 50 acres or more. Century Farm families receive a commemorative sign, as well as a certificate signed by the State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau presidents and Gov. Time Pawlenty.

Since the program began in 1976, more than 8,600 Minnesota farms have been recognized as Century Farms.
The 2008 McLeod County Century Farm families are: Robert and Gloria Dobratz, 1908, Hutchinson; the Rusch Family, 1907, Hutchinson; James and Lanette Dammann, 1908, Plato; and Lyle and Dana Engelmann, 1905, Plato.

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com [1]).