By Shannon Lukens. Photo courtesy Tami Eggers.
Centennial Farms and Ranches were honored at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. A Centennial Farm or ranch is where the farm or ranch has belonged to the same family for at least 100 years is a working farm or ranch. The ranches and their families were recognized by History Colorado and the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
From the program: The Colorado Centennial Farms & Ranches program honors the important role agriculture has played in our state’s history, economic development and modern-day well-being. Today, each Centennial Farams and Ranches honoree stands as a symbol of perseverance and resilience through the changing times.
Those honored are:
The Frye Ranch north of Steamboat Lake founded by the Carpenter family in 1901, and managed by CJ and Nancy Mucklow.
Jan. 7, 2011 —Preserved Routt County ranch has links to the space program
The Wellman Ranch in Moffat and Rio Blanco County since 1912. Eric Wellman is the FFA advisor in Hayden.
The Windler/Schlatter family now in ranches in Routt County and they were honored for 140 years in ranching in Colorado.
The Leggett Hedges Ranch out of Moffat County was founded in 1898. It was originally in part of Wyoming and Routt County. But when Routt County was divided into two counties, it became a Moffat County ranch.
Local 4-H kids in the Art of Ranching project were there to help present the awards. They are Trevor Hagenbuch, Tim Bedell, and Jessica Bedell.
McCall Linke Knecht was the emcee of the event. The Linke Ranch of Grand County received the Centennial Ranch honor in 1983.