Three Farms in Greene County to be Honored by Extension with Century Farm Status July 29 at Ozark Empire Fair

Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist
Tel: (417) 881-8909
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Missouri Century Farm Program annually recognizes Missouri farms that are still productive and have been in the same family for 100 years or more.

This year, Greene County Extension will host a special ceremony from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 29 in the east hall of the E-Plex at the Ozark Empire Fair, 3001 North Grant Ave., Springfield, to honor the three Greene County farms being honored this year.

Starting at 5:30 p.m., members of the Greene County Extension Council will begin their regular monthly meeting at the same location. Council members will then pause at 6 p.m. to conduct the awards ceremony for the Century Farm honorees and then visit the 4-H Exhibit Building.

Members of the public are also invited to view the Century Farm display in the E-Plex. This display is coordinated by Jackie Warfel, a member of the Greene County Historic Sites Board, and it highlights the history of the other Century Farms in Greene County.

Greene County Extension specialists as well as representatives of Farm Bureau, which is the corporate sponsor for this program, will be at the ceremony to present fence signs to the honored families and pose for official photos.

The honored Century Farms in Greene County this year include:

• John and Doris Breakbill of Republic, established 1913

• Warren D. Hardy Jr. of Rogersville, established 1912

• Robert and Mary Mays of Ash Grove, established 1890

In Missouri this year, MU Extension will recognize 201 farms from 84 Missouri counties with Century Farm status.

To qualify for the Missouri Century Farm designation, farms must have been family owned for 100 years or more and have at least 40 acres of the original land still making a financial contribution to the farm income. The line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews or nieces, through marriage or adoption.

To learn more about the Missouri Century Farm program call the Greene County Extension Center at (417) 881-8909 or go online to http://extension.missouri.edu/centuryfarm.

Fundraisers and 4-H Among Issues on Agenda for May 28th Meeting of Greene County Extension Council

Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist and county program director
Tel: (417) 881-8909
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Members of the Greene County Extension Council will conduct their regular monthly public meeting starting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28 in the large classroom at the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center, 2400 South Scenic Avenue, Springfield, Mo. The Botanical Center is home to the Greene County Extension Center.

Typically the Extension Council meets the last month of each month but because of the Memorial Day holiday the meeting for May has been moved to a Tuesday.

The full agenda for the meeting, as well as minutes from the previous month’s meeting, can be found online at http://extension.missouri.edu/greene under the “plans and reports” tab.

Unfinished business items include a report from the 4-H Action Committee and discussion of 4-H club audits. Under new business, council will discuss the upcoming “Dinner at the Orchard” fundraiser, a new partnership with AutoWranglers to turn donated junk vehicles in to cash for the Greene County Extension, the annual program review event, and a possible county government information day in the fall.

“The Greene County Extension Council is an elected governing body established in Missouri state law as a function of county government,” said Carl Allison, chair of the Greene County Extension Council. “The steps council members are taking now are designed to raise awareness and keep minimum programming in place until funding from the county improves.”

This month’s meeting also includes a report from the regional director of MU Extension about moving another specialist out of the Greene County office due to lack of funding from the Greene County Commission.

The county extension council, comprised of both elected and appointed citizens, is a full partner with Missouri's land-grant universities to deliver high-quality education and research-based information that helps people solve real-world problems and take advantage of opportunities.

Council members work with extension specialists to provide county educational programs, manage finances of local extension operations, provide personnel to carry out extension activities, and elect and organize the local extension council