IDAHO GOES DOWN A family farm that was founded in Bonneville County’s rich soil over a century ago has formally become one of Idaho’s oldest farming companies.
In honor of more than a century of uninterrupted family ownership and farming heritage, the Haderlie Family Farm has been designated an official Idaho Century Farm by the Idaho State Historical Society in collaboration with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.
Henry W. Haderlie and his wife Ruth Ward started farming in 1915, marking the beginning of the Haderlie family’s agricultural heritage. Their dedication to agriculture has endured decades of change, and four generations later, their relatives are still farming in the area.
Tim Haderlie, who currently manages the farm with his son Dustin, said, “This recognition is a tribute to their dedication and vision and a legacy we’re proud to carry forward.” Both my grandfather Henry and father Verl loved this farm and worked extremely hard.
Idaho State Historical Society photo
The accolade has great personal meaning for Verl Haderlie, who is currently 93. The son of Henry Haderlie, a veteran farmer, saw his family’s land recognized statewide despite having macular degeneration. For a man whose life has been molded by the rhythms of the earth, his children and grandchildren characterize the occasion as a meaningful gift.
The agricultural development of Idaho and the larger history of the American West serve as the foundation for the Haderlie tale. Charles Haderlie, Henry’s father, immigrated from Switzerland and was one of the first people to live in Utah and Wyoming. Later, Henry used a horse-drawn scraper to assist in the excavation of the Gardner and Hillside irrigation canals, which were essential pieces of early farming infrastructure.
From flood irrigation and horse-drawn plows to contemporary wheel lines and center pivots, the Haderlie operation changed over the years. Verl grew the company in the 1970s by adding grazing acreage close to Bone, a cow/calf herd, and a bulk milk-hauling operation.
In addition to the original farmhouse, Dustin Haderlie, a fourth-generation farmer, now manages approximately 1,000 acres of leased farmland. The fifth generation nurtured on the family’s rich agricultural tradition is represented by his little son, Hank, who was called after his great-great-grandfather Henry.
Farms and ranches that have been owned by the same family for at least a century are honored by the Idaho Century Farm and Ranch Program. It draws attention to the principles that are essential to Idaho’s agricultural identity—resilience, stewardship, and generational continuity.
You can learn more about the program at www.history.idaho.gov.
