Luther Farms

Luther Farms has been a family owned and operated from since 1900.  Rudolph Luther came to America from Switzerland first to Kansas then settled in Richfield, Ohio.  First he managed two local farms, the Stouffer and Brush Farms, then decided to go out on his own.  In 1900 he purchased 100 acres for $3600 at a sheriff’s auction.  It was originally a dairy farm with 12 milking cows that were hand milked twice a day.  The milk was carried to the end of the road where other farmers’ milk waited to be hauled to the Peninsula railroad.

Rudolph and his wife Mary had five children Edward W. Ida, Harvey, Laura, and John.  Edward was 18 when his father purchased the farm and in 1901 started farming.  Nine Years after beginning to farm he married Eva White and they had 5 children Louise, Rudolph (Rudy), Elmer, Arthur, and Ellen.  In 1915 fire burned the their farmhouse to the ground and while it was being built they lived in the grainery behind Uncle Harvey’s and his wife Edna’s house! 

Everyone had chores.  The three boys each milked 3 cows before school and any other jobs too.  The girls had to pull weeds, pick strawberries, shuck wheat, husk corn, pick potatoes, and hoe thistle from the field.  After chores they would ride to Richfield school on the “kid wagon.”  All five children graduated high school.

At this e all farming was done with horse-driven equipment or man power.  In 1930 Eva began the chicken and egg business.  She would trade eggs for groceries in town.  In 1934 Louise and Ellen began working for B.F. Goodrich and befriended Helen Boughton.  They set Helen up with Their brother Rudy and they were married later.  In 1936 the farm was wired for electricity and they were able to buy an electric milker. 

During the 1940′s the Luther’s built a dam that formed a lake that provided entertainment for those who wished to rent it.  1940 also brought the first purchase of a tractor, a Farmall H and they sold their last team of horses, Dick and Dock.  This also ended a somewhat large maple syrup operation due to the tractors not being able to go through the narrow paths that the horses could.

Edward Luther had since passed and had been buried in the West Richfield cemetery.  Mary sold the 100 acres to her son Edward for $10.00!  Rudy upgraded his mother’s egg business and built the double deck chicken house (still located on the farm today) with wood from the Cleveland air show.  Rudy sold eggs door to door in Brecksville and Parma (which continued until 1970).

In 1945 Art returned from his tour of duty and the three brothers, Edward, Rudy, and Art established a three way partnership.  They all had married and built houses on the farm.  In 1957 a barn was purchased for $500, but cost $4500 to have is moved from the Newton Farm, this was also the year that Edward was named “farmer of the Year” by the Cleveland Farm Club.  Also in the 1950′s the silo was purchased and moved from North Hampton and relocated to it’s current site on the farm.  Government restrictions force Arthur to sell the dairy cows and he chose to purchase Angus. 

Between the years of 1946 and 1961 Rudy and Helen had seven children Dorothy, Barbara, Robert, Ronald, Betty, Marilyn, and Edward.  All of the children were part of the daily farm life and helped with chores.  In 1964 Luther built a fully automated, caged chicken house which housed 9,000 chickens which produced 6,000 eggs a day.  The children were responsible for collecting and the wives of the brothers were in charge of washing, grading, and packaging the eggs for sale, a process that took 3-4 hours daily.

In 1970 Robert (Bob) married Diane.  Diane and Bob had 5 children Scott, John, Timothy, Daniel, and Sarah.  In 1972 Rudy became paralyzed in a farming accident dismantling a grain bin in Medina and fell from a ladder.  Bob became partner in the farm operation after his father’s injury.  Even though Rudy was injured he still did hid part beekeeping, and sharpening tools.  Bob took over the duties of his father.  Eight years later Bob and younger brother, Edward (Eddie) bought Arthur’s part of the business.

In 1982 the red barns burned to the ground due to an electrical short due to the weather.  The fire was fought by 7 fire departments and they managed to save the white bank barn, which is still being used.

In 1989 Eddie married Gale and they moved into Harvey’s house and had four boys, Edward, Andrew, Brian, and Cody. 

In 1993 the Luther’s gave up the poultry and egg business and focused on cash crops and beef.  That is the same year that they opened Luther’s Farm Market.  The market started as a small stand in front of Gale and Eddie’s house.  The growing interest of the community drove the Luther’s to upgrade to first a lean-to off their garage, and now a separate building that is seen today.

In the mid to late 1990′s the Bob and Eddie, partners, were branching out to meet the needs of the community.  They made maple syrup, bred beef cattle, and ran the market.  In 2000 Luther Farms celebrated 100 years of farming. 

In 2003 Eddie was diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Eddie sold his part of the partnership to Bob’s son Tim.  Eddie gave his opinion and directions often to Tim to help him in the process!  Tim had grown up on the farm and knew what hard work was, but he is thankful for the direction Eddie gave him.  In 2006 Eddie passed away and was buried next to the rest of his family in the Richfield Cemetery.

Bob and Tim, father and son, now run the farm.  They have lots of help from extended family members.  Andy, Eddie’s son, is also a large part of the farm!