Another group of four farmers and their families will serve as hosts during the final week of the Indiana State Fair. For the second year in a row, Dow AgroSciences is sponsorsing the Farmer of the Day program, which allows a different farm family to be featured each day of the fair.

Keeping with the theme for 2016, this group of farmers also has deep family ties to the land, going back more than 100 years. Here is a closer look.

1. Monday, Aug. 15: A.J. and Amy Booher, Montmorenci, Tippecanoe County

FUN AWAITS: Visit the Indiana State Fair and there is fun for the whole family, plus farmers to visit with at the Glass Barn each afternoon.

Designation: This Centennial Farm was founded in 1897. Both A.J. and Amy have a rich heritage in farming, dating back decades. Kaspar Booher homesteaded Booher Farms in 1864, A.J. says. Amy’s grandfather, Gene Leak, left a legacy of farming, as well. He bought the first family tractor in 1930 and passed away at 103 earlier this year.

Operation today: The Boohers grow primarily corn and soybeans. A.J. and Amy have established their own roots farming in their own right.

Features: A.J. says technology makes the farm more efficient. Using various GPS technologies, he and Amy believe they are making each acre more efficient. They say that’s important if they want to continue passing the farm on to future generations.

2 DEEP HERITAGES: Both A.J. and Amy Booher have deep roots in farming. Pictured are (from left) Kayla, Joe, A.J., Zachary and Amy. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

2. Tuesday, Aug. 16: John and Kimberly Doty, Loogootee, Martin County

Designation: This Centennial Farm dates to 1880. “The farm passed down through my side of the family, mostly through the women,” Kimberly says. “We live on the farm today, although our winery is located near French Lick.”

Operation today: French Lick Winery has been making and selling wine for 20 years. “We grow 8 acres of grapes on the farm in our own vineyard,” Kimberly notes. They are in the process of adding an artisan distillery to their business. “We will grow grains for it on the farm,” she adds. “We buy some grapes from out of state to have enough to meet the needs of the winery.”

Crops: Most of the ground is in hay and pasture, except for the vineyard and land used to raise grain for the distillery.

Livestock: The Dotys maintain a flock of hair-type sheep on the farm.

GROW THEIR GRAPES: Land in the family for more than 100 years grows grapes for French Lick Winery, and now grain for their new distillery. Meet Kimberly and John Doty. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

3. Wednesday, Aug. 17: Tom and Kerry Dull, Thorntown, Boone County

Designation: This Centennial Farm started in 1907. “My grandma’s father originally owned that land,” Tom says. “We don’t live there, but we still farm that piece of land today.”

Operation today: The Dulls raise corn and soybeans in a traditional farm operation. “Kerry and I farm with our son and daughter-in-law, Lucas and Dana,” Tom explains.

Primary business: “We spend a lot of time on agritourism today,” Tom says. “We’ve found it’s easier to grow that business than compete for land, although we still have a relatively large corn and soybean operation.”  The Dulls have been in the Christmas tree business, including cut-your-own, for many years. They also raise pumpkins for the fall season. They've added other activities to make coming to the farm more of an event than just buying a Christmas tree or pumpkin. “We’re open weekends in October for pumpkins, and we open the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas trees,” Tom explains. An old wooden barn that was redone several years ago through a joint project between the Campbell Soup Co. and several FFA chapters is the centerpiece of their agritourism operation, he concludes.

VISIT THEIR FARM, TOO: If you don’t catch the Dulls at the fair, find them at their Christmas tree and pumpkin farm this fall. Meet (from left) Tom, Lucas, Eden, Dana and Kerry Dull. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

4. Thursday, Aug. 18: Scott, Bill and Bonnie Maple, Kokomo, Howard County

Designation: This Centennial Farm was established in 1914. “Five generations of Maples have farmed here,” Bill says.

Operation today: Bill and his brother, Charlie, are retired but still involved in the farm. Scott, Bill's son and spokesman for the family in the Farmer of the Day program, taught vocational agriculture at Lewis Cass High School for 12 years before returning to the farm and joining his brother, Mark.

Crops: The Maples grow corn, soybeans and a small acreage of wheat. “We grow seed soybeans, and we grow primarily food-grade corn,” Scott explains. The mix ranges from commercial corn to non-GMO and white corn. Eight family members are involved in this large family operation, plus three full-time employees.

Tillage: “We use conventional tillage, primarily chisel-plowing,” Scott says. They haven’t tried cover crops yet. Most of the land they farm is relatively level.

PROUD HERITAGE: Bill Maple shows off the homestead plaque that traces the heritage of their farm. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

Dow AgroSciences communications staff contributed information for this article.