By Alex Paul
Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Monday, February 4, 2008 12:00 am
SALEM - Four Linn County farm families will be honored Feb. 14 - Oregon's statehood day - with the inaugural Sesquicentennial Award at a ceremony in Salem.
In all, 14 Oregon families who have continuously farmed portions of the original family acreage for 150 years or more will be recognized. The award is sponsored by the Oregon Century Farm and Ranch program.
Linn County honorees include Donald and Dona Coon and Mike and Tami Coon, Frank Herrling, Joyce Jackson Martinak and Art J. Martinak and Richard Rice.
Coon Farm: 31310 Peoria Road, Shedd. This farm was founded by Washington L. Coon in 1850 and is today farmed by Coon's great-great-grandsons. The original farm was 320 acres, where grain, vetch hay, cattle, horses, dairy cows and pigs were raised.
Today, it is primarily a grass seed farm that has grown to more than 4,000 acres.
(Jackson) Martinak Farm: 33043 Seven Mile Lane, Tangent. The farm was founded in 1853 by Willis Ellis Jackson and Mary Rich Jackson. It was 320 acres and cattle, hogs, chickens, oats, barley, clover hay and wheat were originally grown. About 40 acres of the original land claim remain and are farmed by Joyce Jackson Martinak and her husband, Art.
Rice Farm: 40670 Upper Calapooia Drive, Sweet Home. Founded in 1853 by James Norval Rice. Originally 640 acres where hay, grain, orchards, horses, milk cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and goats were raised. The farm is now 160 acres and is owned by Richard Rice and Mark Rice. Eighty acres are in hay/agricultural usage and 80 acres are planted in trees.
Franklin Herrling Farm: 30595 Driver Road, Shedd. Founded in 1854 by Vineyard Brock. Originally 360 acres were used for beef and grain production. 134 acres remain and are used for grass seed production. Family members on the farm include Mr. and Mrs. Curtis C. Herrling and Larual Herrling.
The ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. at the Veteran's Services Administration Building at 700 Summer St. N.E., with a reception following at 1:30 p.m. at the Oregon Department of Agriculture Building, 635 Capitol St. N.E., which is adjacent to the Veteran's Building.
The public is invited to join the families, legislators, program board members and other friends of the Century Farm and Ranch Program in recognizing the spirit and endurance of these Oregon family farmers and ranchers. A special joint resolution by Oregon's 74th Legislature will be read in the Senate at that same day.
Of the 1,076 recognized Century Farms and Ranches in Oregon, there are more than 400 that were established prior to Dec. 31, 1859, the year Oregon became a state.