Virginia Century Farm Designation

The Commonwealth of Virginia honors and recognizes families that have owned and operated their farms for at least 100 consecutive years. It is not necessary for applicants for this program to hire a professional researcher to establish the history of ownership of the subject property, but this process can be useful to confirm eligibility and to further aid the family in celebrating the heritage of their property.

The services of HistoryTech are especially useful when confirming the VDACS criterion that the farm must be "lived on or actually farmed by a descendant of the original owner." This typically means that the current owner must be a descendant (but not necessarily a direct descendant) of the original patentee (Colonial period) or grantee (post-Colonial period) of the property.

Family lore and community oral history is not always correct when it comes to determining the original owner of a tract of land, and the exact boundaries of the particular tract. HistoryTech uses old-fashioned court house and archival research combined with state-of-the-art Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to establish the original location of land tracts with a high degree of accuracy.

In recognition of their designation as a Virginia Century Farm, families will receive a certificate signed by the Governor and the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and a sign appropriate for outdoor display. In addition, the name of the farm and its owners will be posted on the Department’s web site.

A farm must meet the criteria determined by the Virginia General Assembly to be certified as a Virginia Century Farm:

• It must have been owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years;
• It must be lived on or actually farmed by a descendant of the original owner;
• It must gross over $2,500 annually from the sale of farm products, or
• At the discretion of the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, a farm that does not gross over $2,500 annually, but is being used for a bona fide silvicultural purpose (growing, tending or protecting trees for the purpose of eventually producing income or financial benefit), may be recognized under the program.

Contact HistoryTech today for more information on how we can help you explore the history of your farm and chart the course for designation as a Virginia Century Farm!