Evans Family Farm in Illinois: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Evans Family Farm in Henderson County, Illinois, was one of two farms named a Bicentennial Farm by the Illinois Department of Agriculture at the 2023 Illinois State Fair. The land was granted to the family in 1817 for service in the War of 1812, before Illinois was a state. Today the farm covers about 2,000 acres, with about 1,500 tillable, and combines corn, soybeans and a cow-calf herd of about 150 head.
| Location | Henderson County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Founded | Land granted to the family in 1817 |
| Sectors | Corn, soybeans, cow-calf cattle, pasture and timber |
| Scale | About 2,000 acres, including about 1,500 tillable; about 150 head of cattle (FarmWeek) |
| Why it is elite | Illinois Bicentennial Farm, 200 years in one family |
| Ownership | Steve Evans runs it with his father, who holds primary ownership at 86 |
| Official website | FarmWeek report on the 2023 Illinois Bicentennial Farm recognition |
History of Evans Family Farm
The Evans land dates to before Illinois became a state. It was granted to the family in 1817 for service in the War of 1812, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture recognized it in 2023 as one of two Bicentennial Farms, a title that requires at least 200 years of ownership by the same family line.
Steve Evans runs the farm with his father, who still holds primary ownership at age 86. The farm changed from cattle finishing to a cow-calf operation about 20 years ago.
What Evans Family Farm Grows and Raises
The farm has about 1,500 tillable acres, planted to corn and soybeans, plus permanent pasture and timber. The cow-calf herd is about 150 head, and the move away from finishing cattle shifted the livestock side to raising calves for sale.
The mix of cropland, pasture and timber lets the farm balance row-crop income with forage-based cattle and long-term land stewardship.
How Evans Family Farm Makes Money
Corn and soybeans
Row crops on the tillable acres are a main commodity stream. The published coverage does not give yields or sales.
Cow-calf production
The cow-calf herd of about 150 head produces calves for sale. Switching from finishing to cow-calf reduced the feed and management demands compared with finishing cattle.
Land stewardship
Permanent pasture and timber hold value over generations and support the cattle. Heritage recognition from the state adds community standing.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Evans Family Farm
The first lesson is that a farm lasting two centuries has adapted, and the Evans family changed its livestock model when needed rather than clinging to one system.
The second is to plan transitions across generations. With a father still the primary owner and his son managing, the farm has a working arrangement that keeps experience and energy on the same operation.
A farm that began as a thank-you for service in the War of 1812 has seen every farm trend come and go, including a few that should have stayed gone. At farm.FM our farm satire team salutes Henderson County's 150 cows for outlasting several generations of advice. We keep the farm humor and ranch humor light, with a few farm jokes about 200-year-old fence lines that are somehow still straight.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
How to Contact Evans Family Farm
No official farm website was found in November 2026, so this is a news report. Contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture Centennial and Sesquicentennial Farms program for heritage program questions.
Evans Family Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- FarmWeek coverage - Report on the two Bicentennial Farms
- Illinois Bicentennial Farm program - State heritage farm program
- Illinois heritage farms overview - Centennial, Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial tiers
- USDA Census of Agriculture - National and state farm statistics
- Illinois Farm Bureau - State farm organization
Evans Family Farm FAQ
Where is Evans Family Farm?
It is in Henderson County, Illinois.
Why is it a Bicentennial Farm?
The land was granted to the family in 1817 and has stayed in the family for more than 200 years.
How big is the farm?
About 2,000 acres, including about 1,500 tillable acres.
What does it raise?
Corn, soybeans and a cow-calf herd of about 150 head.
Evans Family Farm shows how Illinois land can stay in one family for two centuries by adapting to change. For more on the state's soils, markets and programs, read our Illinois guide and the other profiled operations.