Nov. 9, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Jena McRell, digital editor, at 816-383-5100 or jmcrell@angusjournal.com.
PHOTO: Available upon request via prphotos@angus.org
Generations of Quality: Homestead Farm
Indiana Angus herd recognized with a Century Award during the National Angus Convention.
The Angus breed is built on generations of individuals and families who’ve committed their livelihoods to raising Angus cattle. Through years of adversity and opportunity, they adapted their businesses and have grown into the next generation.
The American Angus Association is proud to recognize the Angus breeders who have sustained their farms and ranches for more than 100 years.
The organization presented four Century Awards during its Awards Recognition Breakfast Nov. 5, hosted as part of the 2015 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show in Overland Park, Kan.
Charles Huseman of Homestead Farm near Cedar Lake, Ind., accepted the Century Award on behalf of his family, which has been raising Angus cattle since 1910.
Homestead Farm
The story of Homestead Farm near Cedar Lake, Ind., begins with a dairy farmer.
In 1910, Joe Huseman proposed to Florence Berg, whose father raised Angus cattle and promptly told him “no daughter of mine will marry a dairy farmer.” So he sold the dairy herd and bought some Angus cows from his future father-in-law — the official start of the Homestead Farm Angus herd.
Widely known for his character and work ethic, Joe had an uncanny knack for training horses and handling livestock. As the economy improved after the Great Depression, Angus cattle from Homestead Farm often brought top dollar at the Chicago Stock Yards. In both 1924 and 1925, a carload from Homestead Farm was chosen as the “Best Bred Carload – Aberdeen Angus” by the Institute of American Meat Packers at the International Livestock Exposition.
Their oldest son, Bill, bought Homestead Farm from his parents in 1945. Bill and wife Bernice purchased life memberships to the American Angus Association for all four of their children soon after they took their first steps.
With an eye toward continuous improvement, Bill studied pedigrees and used the best Angus bulls he could afford. In the 1960s, he purchased Blue Sky Ermitre 151, a large-framed bull for his time, which would lay the foundation for a long run of showring champions that developed an outstanding market for Homestead Farm breeding cattle.
All four children grew up showing cattle, and the three sisters now have careers outside of agriculture. Charles, the only brother, owns the farm and raises Angus cattle on the original homestead today.
Angus Convention
Century Awards were also presented to the following families during the National Angus Convention’s Award Recognition Breakfast: Ingalls Centennial Angus, Faith, S.D.; Penner Angus Ranch, Mill Creek, Okla.; and Simpson Angus Ranch, Edmond, Okla.
For more news from the 2015 Angus Convention, tune in for The Angus Report the week of Nov. 16 on RFD-TV. The 30-minute news program airs at 7:30 a.m. CST Monday, 5 p.m. CST Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. CST each Saturday on RFD-TV.
Online summaries, speaker presentations, photos, videos and much more can be found in the Newsroom at www.angusconvention.com.
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving nearly 25,000 members across the United States and Canada. It provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on the power of Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association’s programs and services, visit www.ANGUS.org.
###