Farms built through the toil and perseverance of pioneer families dot the countryside. But keeping a farm in the same family for 100 years is a special achievement that deserves recognition.

Since its inception 56 years ago, more than 8,000 families in all 93 counties across the state have been granted the Pioneer Farm Family Award. In order to qualify for this distinction, members of the same family must have owned a parcel of land consecutively for at least a century. Each honoree receives an engraved plaque and gatepost marker as permanent recognition of this milestone. The awards are presented during the annual county fair in which the land is located.

At this year’s Madison County Fair, Helen Schroeter became a member of this exclusive group by receiving the Pioneer Farm Family Award in recognition of the Pospisil Farm being owned by the same family since 1910. Senator Mike Flood presented the award on behalf of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben and Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Frank and Francis Pospisil (Grandparents of Helen Schroeter.)

On March 1, 1910, Helen’s grandfather, Frank Pospisil, purchased the Southwest Quarter of Section 32, Township 22 North, Range 3 West of the 6th P.M., Madison County, Nebraska from Charles and Mary Olson. He and his wife, Frances (Sedlacek) Pospisil, were the parents of twelve children: Joseph, James, Anna, Edward, John, Fred, Bessie, Adolph, Rudolph, Rose, Agnes and Anton (who died in infancy). They endured hardships but were able to acquire property and build homes and farm buildings for each of their seven sons. Joseph, James, Fred and Rudolph and daughters, Anna Choutka, Bessie Spulak and Rose Duhachek settled on nearby farms and raised their families in the area. Many of their descendants still reside in the vicinity of Newman Grove, Lindsay and Madison.

In 1925, Frank and Frances Pospisil retired from farming and moved to Newman Grove. On July 2, 1925, their youngest son, Rudolph, married Helen Sokol of Verdigre and brought his new bride to the Pospisil homestead. Helen and Rudolph were the parents of two daughters, Norma born in 1926, and Helen in 1928. During these early years, farming was very labor-intensive and much of the work was performed by horsepower and manpower. In farm families with no boys, girls had to pitch in and pull their share of the workload. Helen fondly recalls many years of working side by side with her father in the fields. In 1934, Frank and Frances transferred the farm to their sons, Fred and Rudolph, with Fred receiving the east 80 acres and Rudolph the west 80 acres which included the farm home and buildings. In 1947, Norma married Louis Busteed and in 1949, Helen married Paul Schroeter. Both couples settled on nearby farms where they began their own families and farming operations.

Rudolph and Helen Pospisil in the picture. Helen Schroeter stands in front of the picture holding the plaque awarded for the Pioneer Farm Family at the Madison County Fair.

Helen and Paul Schroeter purchased the east 80 acres from the Fred Pospisil Estate in 1966. In 1983, Rudolph and Helen Pospisil retired to Norfolk and sold the west 80 acres to Helen and Paul. Unfortunately, Paul passed away on May 12 before receiving the Pioneer Farm Family Award but was pleased to know that he and Helen had been selected as one of the families to be recognized at this year’s Madison County Fair.

The Pospisil Farm is currently operated by Pam and Keith King, the daughter and son-in-law of Helen and Paul Schroeter. They are honored to continue the family legacy as the fourth generation to operate the Pospisil Farm.

Alexandra Bergson, the proud steadfast character in Willa Cather’s “O Pioneers!” summed it up this way: “We come and go, but the land will always be here. Those people who love and understand it are the only ones who really own it for a little while.”