A2O-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, November 9, 1996
Everyone gathers around Great-grandma Fletcher in the middle of a soybean flel
that has been In the family for 100 years.
Ridge Presents Century
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
MALVERN (Chester Co.) Farms were
honored in general, and Willisbrook Farm in par
ticular, when Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Ridge
visited this horse and vegetable farm Wednesday
morning to present a Century Farm Certificate to
Robert Lange. Five generations have lived on the
farm, and Lange is a family member of the pre
sent generation of farm owners. Jane Gordon
Coxe Fletcher, 95, a daughter of the original fam
ily owner, was on hand too and provided the
inspiration for the award ceremony.
“You, Mrs. Fletcher, in many ways help us
define what we are as a state and what we are as a
people in Pennsylvania,” Ridge said. “Your life
tells our story. You are a link to the past, and hap
pily you are our hope for the future. In you we see
a legacy that stands for nearly a personal century ,
and a heritage we are compelled to carry on,”
Gov. Ridge said.
Ridge said agriculture’s promise is a promise
we must all strive to keep. “We are pleased to be
part of the nation’s bread basket from the very
beginning, he said. “Farming is the backbone of
our Commonwealth, and we all know that’s why
Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation program
is so very important. It is in the interest of our 12
million Pennsylvanians, if they work and live on
the farm or not.”
In his introduction, Charles Brosius, state ag
secretary, said productive acres lost to buildings
are lost to production agriculture forever. Even
with development pressure, Chester County
remains with over 1,500 farms and continues to
be a major ag county.
“We cannot keep the farm in the family if we
cannot keep the family on the farm,” Brosius
said.
The 236-acre Willisbrook Farm has been pre
served for agriculture through the state farmland
preservation program and the natural land trust.
Lange accepted the award oin behalf of his
family.
“When you look out over the fields, what you
see is not much different than if you were looking
100 years ago,” Lange said. “That’s neat And in
another 100 years it will not look much different
than now because all this land is protected for
agriculture. 1 think this is important. Family her
itage and farmland preservation are the most
important things a family can have.
Lange’s farm, which has been in his family
since 1896, produces pick-your-own strawber
ries, sweet com and pumpkins. The farm also
serves as a boarding stable for horses.
The Century Farm Program, administered by
the state agriculture department, recognizes
farms that have been owned by the same family
for the past 100 years. A family member must
still live on the land. Since the beginning of the
program in 1976, over 1,700 farms have been
recognized. Thirty-seven farms have been hon
ored in 1996.
The Farmland Protection program was ini
tiated in 1989 with a $lOO million bond issue
approved by Pennsylvania’s voters. The prog
ram allows the state and counties to purchase
development rights to guarantee that farms will
To Willisbrook
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