Twenty-five Centennial Farms & Ranches recognized
History Colorado is happy to announce the twenty-five Centennial Farms & Ranches honorees for 2023. Created in partnership with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Centennial Farms & Ranches Program honors the contributions of the state’s ranching and farming families who have withstood the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought, and economic conditions to preserve important pieces of our state’s commercial and cultural history.
The 2023 honorees include both farms and ranches as well as families, agribusinesses, and a farmer who dedicated the majority of their more than 100 years of life to agricultural pursuits within Colorado. Honorees were recognized at the 2023 Colorado State Fair on Friday, Aug. 25 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colo.
“In Colorado, agriculture is foundational to understanding our collective roots,” said Dawn DiPrince, president/CEO of History Colorado and State Historic Preservation Officer. “This beloved annual event spotlights the agricultural people and families who have persevered for more than 100 years and continue to preserve the food systems that nourish us.”
In addition to celebrating the 2023 Centennial Farms & Ranches honorees, DiPrince and Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, Kate Greenberg, will present the second annual Agricultural Legacy Awards.
Highlighted Honorees
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm and Ranch Enterprise | Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Legacy in Agriculture Award | Montezuma County
Nestled in Southwest Colorado below the sleeping Ute Mountain on Ute Mountain Ute Tribal land, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm and Ranch Enterprise is a true beacon of adaptation, innovation, and sustainability. Rooted in Tribal culture and history, this 7700-acre operation – built over the last nearly four decades by General Manager Simon Martinez and his team – raises alfalfa, corn, and cattle.
The team leading the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm and Ranch Enterprise never ceases to be on the leading edge of agricultural production, conservation, and cultural legacy. The enterprise raises everything from iconic Bow & Arrow Livestock and non-GMO corn meal by the same name that supplies restaurants around the country. The Farm and Ranch Enterprise also employs microhydro energy production and advanced irrigation technology, all while following the beneficial use of the water decree by the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement.
A complete list of the 2023 Centennial Farms & Ranches honorees can be found here.
About the Centennial Farms & Ranches Program
History Colorado, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and the Colorado State Fair have partnered to honor Colorado’s agricultural heritage through the Centennial Farms & Ranches program since 1986, when the program was initiated by former Governor Richard Lamm.
In 2022, the Centennial Farms & Ranches program was expanded to recognize four categories of honorees associated with the agricultural history of the State of Colorado:
- Centennial Farms or Ranches – farms or ranches that have belonged to the same family for at least 100 years, and are currently working farms or ranches
- Centennial Families – families with agricultural experience in Colorado that spans 100 or more years (eg. 1923-present), not necessarily as landowners
- Centennial Farmers or Ranchers – individuals 100 years of age or older who have spent a majority of their life in agricultural pursuits within the State of Colorado, even if they were not landowners
- Centennial AgriBusiness – organizations or businesses that have been in operation for 100 or more years and primarily serve the agricultural community in Colorado (examples: seed companies, farm implement manufacturers, Farm Bureaus, etc.)
More than 663 families, agribusinesses, and individuals have been recognized by the program. Collectively, they represent the powerful history of Colorado’s farmers and ranchers who have sustained, supported, and innovated for more than 100 years.
About the Colorado Department of Agriculture
The Colorado Department of Agriculture exists to support the state’s agriculture industry and serve the people of Colorado through regulation, advocacy, and education. Its mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado agriculture, promote a safe and high-quality food supply, protect consumers, and foster responsible stewardship of the environment and natural resources. Learn more at ag.colorado.gov.
A division of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the mission of the Colorado State Fair Authority is to celebrate Colorado’s vibrant and diverse agricultural industry and culture by creating an entertaining, inspiring, and educational inter-generational experience.
About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 143-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado.
History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado