When Colorado officials announced the state’s newest Centennial Farms on Aug. 28, 2026, the Rasmussen Centennial Homestead in Weld County was among those recognized. The farm, owned by Northern Water Contracts Department Manager Sherri Rasmussen, has remained in the same family for more than a century and is still in operation today.
“This milestone is bittersweet, as all of the great men who devoted their lives to this land are no longer here to see it recognized,” Rasmussen said. “Their dedication, sacrifice and love for farming built the foundation that allows our family to carry this legacy forward. Honoring them, and the generations who came before us, is our greatest point of pride.”
The Rasmussen family purchased the 160-acre farm from the railroad in 1902. From the 1950s through the 1990s, the Rasmussen Homestead operated one of the largest sheep feedlots in the area, which was a defining chapter in its history. It also maintained a significant hog operation at one time, managing more than 30 sows and raising high-quality hogs for both market and 4-H youth.
Crop traditions are equally important to Rasmussen’s story. They grew Coors barley for decades, ending only when the local elevator closed. They have also been long-time producers of sugar beets along with corn, alfalfa and pinto beans, adapting to changing markets while preserving the practices that shaped its operation.
Flood irrigation remains a core tradition on the farm, just as it was for earlier generations. “These practices reflect not only how we farm, but who we are: a family committed to hard work, stewardship and honoring the agricultural legacy handed down to us,” she said.
As third generation farmers, Sherri and her husband Jeff Rasmussen raised livestock, supported 4-H youth and served on boards including Agfinity, American Pride Co-op, the Colorado Farm Bureau, and the Boulder and White Rock Ditch Company. The Rasmussen Homestead no longer raises animals, but still produces crops including sugar beets, silage and corn. Rasmussen remains heavily involved with the farm alongside her two daughters and son-in-law.
“Families like the Rasmussen’s are a bright star of the agrarian imperative, whose strong family unity with deep ties to the land and water are the bedrock of our society,” said Robert Sakata, Colorado’s Agricultural Water Policy Advisor. “Thanks for all that your family does and for the amazing legacy that you have created.”
