A family in Snohomish County, Wash., that has been farming the same land since 1889 will be honored Thursday, Aug. 22, during the Evergreen State Fair’s opening ceremony.

Each year at the Evergreen State Fair, the county honors a family that has remained in continuous agricultural production on the same land under the same family ownership for 100 years or more. This year, the Stecher family of Snohomish is being honored at the fair’s opening ceremony at 2 p.m.

“Agriculture has been a dominant feature of Snohomish County's fertile landscape since the county was founded in 1861, 28 years before Frank Stecher purchased the land his family still farms,” said Linda Neunzig, Snohomish County Agricultural Coordinator. “Congratulations to the Stecher Family on 135 years of farming in Snohomish County!”

Tim Stecher and his wife Cheri, retired schoolteachers are the fourth generation of Stechers to farm their 40 acres of land off Lowell-Larimer Road in Snohomish. His family has grown vegetables, raised dairy cows, beef cattle, and made hay for generations. There are currently three generations living on the farm.

“Our farms and farmers are a vital part of our community,” Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said. “By growing crops and raising livestock, they feed our families and strengthen our economy. I am grateful for the hard work done by generations of families like the Stechers to keep agriculture strong in our county.”

The agriculture industry is a large sector of Snohomish County’s economy, representing $280.7 million, according to the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture (2022).

The Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, Wash., runs Aug. 22-27 and Aug. 29-Sept. 2 and will showcase the agriculture of Snohomish County, which is in Western Washington and includes Everett.

Source: Snohomish County Conservation and Natural Resources