Mary Lou and Dick Lebsack were honored to have their family recognized for having a Centennial Farm, as it has been operated by members of their family for 100 years. They are pictured standing in front of the original house that was completed in 1928. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Members of the Ed Dirks family take a photo break while building a barn on their farm north of Holyoke. Ed completed the barn in the 1920s.
Lebsack (Dirks) farm proud to be in the family for a century
A century can bring a multitude of changes, but for the Lebsack (Dirks) family of Holyoke, one thing hasn’t changed: Their farm has been run by members of their family for 100 years.
Dick and Mary Lou Lebsack of Holyoke and their family were honored this year by the Centennial Farms and Ranches program, presented by History Colorado.
The program honors the stories and legacies of farms that have remained in the same family for 100 years or more, meeting the following criteria:
— Farms or ranches must have remained in the same family continuously for 100 years or more.
— The property must be a working farm or ranch.
— The property must have a minimum of 160 acres, but properties with fewer acres can still qualify if they gross at least $1,000 in annual sales.
The awards are typically presented at the Colorado State Fair, but the in-person ceremony was canceled this year. The Lebsacks will be notified when the sign denoting their Centennial Farm designation can be retrieved so they can place it on their property.
The farm is about seven miles north of Holyoke. Ed and Maggie Dirks and their four children, Floyd, Lewis, Ruby and Irene, moved to the location from Dalton, Nebraska, in March 1920.
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