The American Angus Association^® honors Leech Farm with a Historic Angus Herd Award. The Association’s Historic Angus Herd Award recognizes breeders and immediate families who have been in continuous production of registered Angus cattle for 50 years or more. 

Leech Farm was established in 1969 in Washington, Pa., when Robert Leech, Jr., purchased his first Angus heifer. After that, Leech sold his 4-H market lambs and steers at the county fair and used the profits to buy his next Angus heifer. Leech’s father, Robert Leech, Sr., helped him to continue building his Angus herd.

Leech chose the Angus breed after observing how the breed thrived in his part of the country. He was also impressed with the quantity and quality of information the American Angus Association provided breeders.

Foundation heifers were purchased from Walter McCrerey of Avella, Pa., Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Tait of Mercer, Pa., and Red Mailbox Farm of Eighty Four, Pa.

Over the years, the Leech family worked hard to promote agriculture, specifically the Angus breed.

In 1999, Leech Farm was recognized as a Century Farm by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture at the Washington County Fair. That same year, June Leech was named Beef Promoter of the Year by Penn State University Extension and Washington County Beef Promotion Coordinator.

Today, Robert Leech, Jr., and his wife, Laury, continue to manage their herd of 20-25 brood cows with the help of their son, Adam, and grandson, Kayson, who represents the sixth generation of the Leech family to farm the land.