Originally published – Bonners Ferry Herald – September 18, 2025
Howe Farms is being recognized as an official Idaho Century Farm on Friday, Sept. 19, marking over a century of continuous family ownership and agricultural legacy.
The presentation is set to take place at the Boundary County Museum in Bonners Ferry and will include a historical slide show presented by Terry Howe.
The Idaho Century Farm and Ranch program, a partnership of the Department of Agriculture and the Idaho State Historical Society, was created to recognize the importance and extraordinary contributions of Idaho’s farming and ranching pioneers by honoring those families who have farmed or ranched the same land their ancestors did a century ago. With this designation, Howe Farms joins a distinguished group of multigenerational farms and ranches that have helped shape Idaho’s rural landscape, economy, and way of life.
The farm traces its beginnings to 1925, when O.F. Howe a watchmaker, jeweler and optometrist originally from Iowa, purchased homestead properties in the Kootenai Valley and, through early reclamation efforts, converted the flood-prone land in
to productive farmland. Howe partnered with his son Don, who earned a degree in Agronomy from the University of Idaho during the Great Depression, marking the family’s full transition into modern farming.
Don developed the farm through innovation and perseverance. Over the decades, Don expanded operations, introduced new farming methods, and served as a leader in the agricultural community, including service with the Idaho Wheat Commission, the National Association of Wheat Growers, and in the Idaho State Senate. Don modernized the operation further and formed Howe Farms, Inc. in 1960.
The family’s legacy continued through Don’s son, Terry, who used his background in business management and agricultural economics to maintain the land. The Howes have upheld a tradition of resilience and excellence across four generations. Today, the next generation stands ready to carry that legacy forward, with Andy Howe’s daughter poised to become the farm’s fifth-generation steward.
This award is dedicated to those whose hard work and vision helped shape the land into what it is today. The Idaho Century Farm designation honors not only the Howe family’s agricultural contributions but also their deep respect for the land and its enduring value to the state.
For information on the Idaho Century Farm & Ranch Program, visit www.history.idaho.gov/century-farm/
The Idaho State Historical Society is an extraordinary system of cultural and historic resources comprised of the Idaho State Museum, State Archives, State Historic Preservation Office, the Old Idaho Penitentiary, and the Historic Sites Program. Their vision is to make history essential and accessible through dynamic and gratifying services that inspire, enrich, and engage all Idahoans. Learn more at www.history.idaho.gov.
