Lester Henry Family, Potosi Recognized For 100 Year History

Potosi – University of Missouri Extension in Washington has County recognized Lester Henry Family as a 2020 Missouri Century Farm.

The farm has been owned by the Lester Henry Family since the original 80-acre purchase in 1919. At the height, the farm spanned 435 acres. Debbie Thompson (great granddaughter of Lester Henry) and husband Leo, the 5th generation, own 71 acres of the farm. Over the past century, cattle, hogs, sheep, corn, wheat and other crops have been raised on the land.

“It is important to recognize these farms and families, as it is becoming rarer for the land to stay in the same ownership for this length of time. This heritage needs to be honored and promoted.” says Rachel Hopkins, County Engagement Specialist in Agriculture & Environment.

In 1976, Missouri’s Centennial Farm project awarded certificates to persons owning farms that had been in the same family for 100 years or more. The MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and MU Extension planned a 10-year update in 1986 called the Century Farm program. Since then, the program has been an annual event, recognizing more than 100 farms each year. In 2008, the Missouri Farm Bureau became a program co-sponsor.

To qualify, farms must meet the following criteria:

• The same family must have owned the farm for 100 consecutive years.

• The line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews or nieces, including through marriage or adoption.

• The farm must be at least 40 acres of the original land acquisition and make a financial contribution to the overall farm income.

Since 1976, the program has recognized more than 8,000 Missouri Century Farms. To watch a short video about the Lester Henry Farm, visit the Washington County Extension webpage or Facebook page. For more information, visit the program’s webpage at https://extension2.missouri.edu/programs/century-farms.