Fencls honored at Iowa State Fair for Heritage Farm

DES MOINES - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture  Mike Naig, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill and  Vice-President Joe Heinrich honored 485 Iowa farm families with  Century or Heritage Farm designations at the Iowa State Fair. The  program celebrates farms that have been owned by the same families for 100 and 150 years, respectively.

“When you consider the inherent risks that farmers assume every day,  the 80s recession, and the current trade concerns, it is incredible to  think of the challenges these families had to overcome to keep their  farms for 100 or 150 years,” said Secretary Naig. “The Century and  Heritage Farm program celebrates these families for their tenacity and  dedication to agriculture.”

“Agriculture has long been the backbone of Iowa’s economy and  critical to the vitality of rural communities across the state,” said Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau President. “It’s an honor to  co-sponsor the Century and Heritage Farm program which allows us to  recognize the multi-generational farm families that have withstood  countless challenges over 100 or 150 years to keep their farms in the  family.”

The Century Farm program began in 1976 as part of the Nation’s  Bicentennial Celebration. This year, 332 Century Farms and 153  Heritage Farms were recognized.  To date, more than 20,060 Century Farms and 1,360 Heritage Farms have  been recognized across the state of Iowa.

Fencl Farm

The farm is located in Albion Township, near Florenceville, on the Golden Ridge Road.

On Feb. 1, 1860, 160 acres in Section 9 were patented from the United States of America to Thomas Campbell.

Nine years later, it began its span of 150 years in the Weinkauf/Nast/Wilkins/Fencl families when Campbell sold the property to August Weinkauf. In 1878, Weinkauf purchased 80 acres in Section 16 of Albion Township, making the farm 240 acres in size.

In 1911, Herman Weinkauf, August’s son, married Theresa Bronner, and they began farming the tillable land of 240 acres.

On Oct. 3, 1955, Charles and Ferneva (Weinkauf) Nast purchased the farm. Over 49 years later, on Oct. 11, 2004, their daughters, Sharla Fencl and Charlene Wilkins became owners. On Jan. 2, 2008, Vic and Sharla Fencl purchased Wilkins’ 120 acres and united the property once again.

The farm became eligible for the Century Farm Award in 1969. Charles and Fern Nast received the award the first year it was available, in 1976. The Fencls were eligible for the Heritage Farm Award in 2019.

They had a perfect day for attending the Iowa State Fair to receive their award. Vic noted the couple attends the fair every year. “We go on Monday, Veterans day and see the parade.”