The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently honored a handful of family farms for reaching the century mark of continuous ownership. The Dorazio Family Farm in Fayette County was named a Centennial Farm, joining eleven other farms statewide that have been kept in the same family for at least 100 years.
Four generations on the Dorazio land
Phillip Dorazio bought the property in 1915. Today, his great‑grandsons John and Seth Dorazio, together with John’s nephew Joseph Augustine, run the Angus beef operation in Grindstone. Their farm exemplifies the perseverance and stewardship the department highlighted in its announcement.
Other historic farms recognized
Earlier this year, the Cook Farm in Belle Vernon received Pennsylvania Bicentennial Farm status, marking more than 250 years of continuous family ownership dating back to Colonel Edward Cook in 1769. Since the Century Farm program began in 1977 and the Bicentennial program in 2004, over 2,300 farms have earned similar recognition.
Department Secretary Russell Redding praised the honorees, saying they share a deep commitment to future generations, sustainability and the care of the land that feeds Pennsylvanians.
Family farms as community anchors
In western Pennsylvania, agriculture remains a vital economic engine. The USDA 2022 census reports 1,583 farms covering 182,116 acres in Washington County, 795 farms in Fayette County and 605 farms in Greene County. Across the Commonwealth, nearly 49,000 farms generate $132.5 billion annually and support roughly 600,000 jobs, making Pennsylvania the nation’s fourth‑largest food producer.
The Washington County Agricultural Fair, the state’s oldest county fair dating to 1798, recently drew more than 64,000 visitors and contributed an estimated $23 million to the local economy.
Stories of passion and perseverance
Third‑generation farmer Beverly Minor, whose family founded Robison Dairy, runs the SpringHouse dairy farm in North Strabane Township. Minor, whose late husband Sam Minor started the farm in 1976, said she “never works a day” because of her love for the lifestyle and the satisfaction of raising Holstein and Jersey cows.
At the Ryburn Homestead in Chartiers Township, seventh‑generation farmer Mark Ryburn and his wife Nikki, a fifth‑generation farmer, raise Belgian draft horses, sheep and cattle on a 300‑acre tract that dates back to 1793. Their dedication reflects a lineage that began with the historic Welsh Homestead in the late 1780s.
Gary Danley of Danley Charolais in Wolfdale, a fourth‑generation cattle breeder, described farming as “in my blood” and an “addiction.” He hopes his daughter, a fifth‑generation farmer, and his grandchildren will continue the tradition.
Challenges facing western Pennsylvania farms
Despite these success stories, the region has seen a decline in farm numbers. From 2017 to 2022, Greene County lost 16 % of its farms, Washington County 10 %, and Fayette County nearly 5 %. Retirement without interested heirs, sales to developers and mineral‑rights leases to oil and gas firms are among the primary causes.
Mark Ryburn, who also serves as director of the West Alexander Fair, warned that “there’s a generational gap now.” He emphasized the importance of county fairs and school programs in teaching young people about agriculture.
Mike and Jodie Hoover, owners of a 50‑acre farm in Washington County, have added Suffolk sheep and recently ventured into beef cattle. Jodie, a vocational agriculture teacher and FFA adviser, notes that fewer students now come from farming families, making education about food origins more critical.
Preserving a legacy
Honors such as the Master Farmer award, recently given to Minor’s late husband, father and grandfather, highlight the pride and dedication of Pennsylvania’s farming families. As the state looks to preserve its agricultural heritage, these multigenerational farms serve as living reminders of the values of hard work, stewardship and community that have sustained western Pennsylvania for over a century.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
