INDIANAPOLIS – A Missouri book publisher is looking for Hoosier Homestead Award recipients willing to share their farm and family stories.

The stories will be compiled into a book, “Hoosier Homestead – Honoring Farm Legacy,” to be published by Acclaim Press. Charlie Francis, the publisher’s editor, expects the book to be released in late 2022. The company has published seven similar books for other states, including Illinois and Ohio.

“We’ve found that farm families are not afraid to talk about their farms,” he said. “They are very passionate about them. If someone doesn’t tell the stories and they’re not recorded, they get lost. History is important.”

The book has been endorsed by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), though a spokesperson said the agency isn’t providing any funding for the project. ISDA’s Hoosier Homestead program honors farms that have remained in the same family for 100, 150 or 200 years. Since the awards were first given in 1976, more than 5,800 families have been honored.

“Indiana has a rich history in agriculture,” Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch said in a release. “The prospect of this book is very exciting and will further preserve our state’s heritage and the Hoosier farm family’s longstanding commitment to Indiana, agriculture and community.”

Hoosier Homestead recipients interested in seeing their farm’s story in the book should fill out a form at www.acclaimpress.com/books/indianas-century-farms/. The form requests such information as the date the farm was first acquired, the types of crops raised originally and today, acreage and ownership of the farm through the years. Families may write a short story – 300 words or less will be published at no charge; stories of more than 300 words will be charged an additional fee per word. For families that prefer not to write their own story, an Acclaim editor will write a story based on the information provided.

Photos may be submitted. One will be published at no charge; there’s a fee for more than one photo. A picture of current family members may be submitted, Francis said. Some families prefer an aerial shot of the farm or an older photo of the operation, he added.

The submission deadline is Aug. 31. The 8½-by-11 archive quality book may be pre-ordered at www.acclaimpress.com. Families don’t have to purchase a book for their stories to be published. The book will also include a history of agriculture in the state. A brochure detailing the project may be found on the website.

Francis recalled a story submitted by a family for Acclaim’s book on Illinois that included a reference to a future president. In the 19th century, family members had to vacate their land and while they were gone, squatters took over the property. The lawyer they hired to help get their land back was Abraham Lincoln.

Acclaim Press was started in 2005; the company also publishes fiction and spiritual books. Acclaim published its first farm heritage book in 2012.

“Judging by sales and participation, there’s an interest in these books,” Francis said. “We do it because they work. People like them, tell their friends. We’re counting on that word of mouth (for this book). The more people who hear about it, the more will participate, and the better the book will be for everyone. This project has taken on a life of its own. Each state has its own story to tell.”