Pugh family honored as Arkansas Century Farm

Pugh family honored as Arkansas Century Farm

Local agricultural mainstay among 42 farms from 25 counties recognized by governor

ralphhardin@gmail.com Farming is an arduous task, susceptible to all manner of natural distaster, ever-changing weather conditions and the back-breaking labor that it takes to maintain a farm.

So, for one family to make a go of it and be successful for generations is something special.

One such family recently honored for doing just that is the Pugh Family, headed by current patriarch of this local family of farmers by Jim Pugh. Jim and his clan were recently named to the list of Arkansas Century Farm families.

The Arkansas Century Farm recognizes Arkansas farms of 10 acres or more owned by the same family for at least 100 years.

Pugh and his family have owned and operated Lake Rest Farm for generations, which started with its first operation in Crittenden County in 1859.

Governor Asa Hutchinson and Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward, inducted 42 Arkansas farms into the Arkansas Century Farm Program at the State Capitol last year in a special ceremony.

Arkansas Agriculture Department began the Century Farm program in 2012 as a way to highlight the contributions of these families to the agriculture industry as well as their overall contributions to our state. Agriculture is Arkansas’s largest industry, contributing more than $20 billion to the state’s economy annually and providing one in every six jobs in the state. Arkansas consistently ranks in the top 25 nationally in the production of 23 agricultural commodities.

“The value of farm families is more than their crops and livestock. Through generations, their commitment to family and hard work has proven to be the combination of values that enriches our communities, and makes our state and nation great,” said Governor Hutchinson to the Century Farm Families.

Including the 2018 inductees, 418 farms are currently recognized as Arkansas Century Farms. The 42 newly inducted Century Farms are located in Arkansas, Boone, Columbia, Conway, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Marion, Ouachita, Poinsett, Sebastian, Union, Van Buren, Washington, and Woodruff counties.

By Ralph Hardin