At a time when family farms are in jeopardy, more than 30 members of the Rutherford family gathered on Friday, June 10, to proudly unveil the “Rutherford Farm” rock placed near the location of the family home, which once stood on Gard’s Prairie Road in Volinia Township.
The occasion took place to celebrate establishment of the farm in 1834 which has remained in the family for 177 years.
The farmland was acquired by Amos Huff, who later passed the farm on to his daughter, Amy Huff Rutherford, who then passed it down to her youngest son, Harvey Newton Rutherford.
Now the farm is owned by Harvey’s seven children: James, John, Paul, Mary Rutherford Brown, Thomas, Naomi Rutherford Criswell, and Ruth Rutherford Gardner.
The seven siblings formed Rutherford Farm, LLC, and are all in agreement that the family farm be preserved for future generations.
Upon the death of their mother, Zilpha Keeler Rutherford Greenwood, in 2008, the Rutherford children demolished the buildings and formed Rutherford Farm, LLC.
A jointly owned irrigation system was installed and a partnership ensued between the Rutherfords and Nate and Lou Ann Robinson.
Both farms are now leased by Stamp Farms.
The Rutherford Farm currently has centennial status and the family has applied to the Historical Society of Michigan to be a Sesquicentennial Farm. Once the designation has been approved, signs stating so will be placed next to the rock.
The rock was engraved by Jeromy Bogue, owner of Monuments by Design, located in Cassopolis.