In 1869, William Richard White bought 80 acres of empty land, which is now where our main farmhouse is. He also owned a hardware store in Elk Rapids, and used the farmland to store livestock he got when people bartered instead of paying cash. In 1920, his son Vernon White started planting cherry trees on the farm and bought more land in Williamsburg. Vernon’s eight children helped on the farm with the cows, horses, pigs, corn, and cherries. After his passing, his sons Jack and Versil took over the farm, splitting it between the two. Jack took care of the livestock and cherries, and planted peaches and apples on the farm as well.

Over time, Jack bought more land in Williamsburg, Yuba, and Acme to grow his orchards and farm alongside his wife and eight children. With so much growth, it became too much to be both a lifestock and a produce farm, and Jack transitioned to only the cherries, peaches, and apples.

After his passing, the farm was taken over by Jack’s daughter, Joann White, who now runs the farm with her two children, who you can find at the farmer’s markets selling our delicoius fruit when they’re not too busy eating it.