A Lehigh County farm was among nine recognized at the Pennsylvania Farm Show with Bicentennial and Centennial Farm designations.

Paul and Nancy Semmel of Schnecksville were recognized for the family’s Excelsior Farm, a dairy operation since 1917. Originally 102 acres, it is now a preserved farm that continues to thrive.

A rich history of agricultural innovation includes being the first Pennsylvania Power and Light all-electric dairy farm and hosting international dignitaries for research demonstrations.

“These families represent the best in Pennsylvania agriculture,” Agricultural Secretary Russell Redding said. “Reflecting the 2025 Farm Show theme, ‘Powering Pennsylvania’ these families have been feeding our communities and our economy for generations. Their hard work and dedication continue to power the future of agriculture in our state.”

Since the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture started the Century Farm program in 1977 and the Bicentennial Farm program in 2004, more than 2,340 Century and Bicentennial Farms and two Tricentennial Farms have earned the distinction.

Farms owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years are eligible to be named a Pennsylvania Century Farm. A family member must live on the farm, and the property must include at least 10 acres of the original farm or earn more than $1,000 annually from sales of farm products.

Many Century and Bicentennial Farms are preserved farms, protecting the land for future farming generations through conservation easements. Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserved farmland, with 6,482 farms and 646,754 acres in 58 of the state’s 67 counties permanently protected from development.