Mt. Pleasant farm honored with Heritage Award

Lewis Payne, who lives in Kalona, was awarded a Heritage Award by the Iowa Farm Bureau this year at the Iowa State Fair for 172 years of family-owned farmland in Henry County.

The Iowa Farm Bureau recognizes families every year across the state with Century and Heritage Awards for family-owned farmland of 100 years and 150 plus years.

Lewis's great-great-uncle purchased the 261.4 acre Henry County plot seven years after it was claimed in the Homestead Act.

The farm became known as the Pickard Farm and was passed down from his great grandfather to his grandfather and then to his mother.

Payne bought the land from his mother. He's had the farming knack since he was a young boy.

Both his parents had full-time jobs in town but still found a way to maintain the farm. His mother, as a young girl who enjoyed working outside much more than being inside.

Payne started young too.

At four years old, Lewis was already milking cows. At six years old, he was driving tractors, and by eight, he was driving a truck from farm to farm.

Payne often found himself working near the road so he could catch the bus for school. After school, he would return to the field to continue his work that day, which often included bringing cattle in and milking them.

He eventually left the farm to go to college, pursuing a career in health care and teaching medicine.

In 1985, Payne returned to the farm after his father passed away.

Payne said his goal is to improve the farm as much as possible before it leaves his hands and in better condition than when he first started.

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