Friday, July 15, representatives of the Elmer Schlange Trust of Auburn received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award. The presentation was at the grandstand of the Nemaha County Fairgrounds in Auburn.The 80-acre farm was acquired by Matha Schlange in 1911. It is in Bedford Precinct southwest of Auburn. Matha Marie Bohling, daughter of Wilhelm Herman Bohling and Marie Ottens Bohling, was married to Henry Heinrich Schlange May 5, 1911. They moved to the farm in Nemaha County. The farm was purchased by Wilhelm Bohling Aug. 3, 1907, from Herman and Grace Remmers, for $7,000.

The farm was deeded to Matha Schlange in 1920. Matha and Henry Schlange spent 50 years of married life on the farm. After the death of Henry Schlange in 1961 and Matha Schlange in 1976, the land was inherited by the couple’s sons, Elmer and Vern Schlange. Elmer and Rosetta Schlange purchased Vern Schlange’s share of the farm in 1980. Their son, Gary Schlange; grandson, Kevin Schlange and great-grandson, Allan Schlange, farm this land today.
The Schlanges are among 167 honorees from 70 counties who will receive the 2011 Pioneer Farm Family Award. The awards are sponsored by The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation and the Nebraska Fair Managers Association along with the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
In order to qualify for this distinction, members of the same family must have owned a parcel of land consecutively for at least 100 years.  
Since the inception of the award, 57 years ago, more than 8,000 families have been honored from across the region. Honorees receive an engraved plaque and gatepost marker as permanent recognition of this milestone. The awards are presented during the annual county fair in which the land is located.