Episode 90: Oklahoma Centennial Farms

In the year 1989, the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture joined forces to establish the Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Program. The initiative works to recognize families who have owned and operated a farm or ranch in the state for at least 100 years. There are several qualifications for the award, such as a minimum acreage for the land and annual sales, but since its establishment, over 1600 (sixteen hundred) families have earned this recognition.

This month on Amplified Oklahoma, we’re highlighting farms from our “Centennial Farm Families” oral history project. This collection documents the agricultural history of our state through land runs and the Dust bowl, all the way to the lives of present-day farmers who preserve their family heritage through their connection to the land. We’ll also hear from Oklahoma Centennial Farm & Ranch Coordinator Shea Otley about her experiences with the program.