History of Jarvie Hay Farms:
On August 26, 1931 Eino Jarvie bought 80 acres of property 7 miles southeast of Rudyard, Michigan. He moved his family, three cows & two dogs to the farm in 1935 where he and his wife Goldie proceeded to raise 12 kids. On the farm Eino would typically have 7 to 10 dairy cows to milk each day along with 2 draft horses to help with the field work. The kids all helped to put up hay using horses and an old hay loader. All the hay would have to be placed in the mows with the old pulley system and a team of horses. As the years went by Eino modernized the operation and added tractors, balers, etc.. and acreage to the Jarvie farm operation.
In 1960 Delbert Jarvie purchased the farm from his father Eino. Delbert, along with his wife Jean raised 3 boys (Tony, Matt & Mike) on the family farm. All three boys did their share of chores and were very busy during the hay baling season. Many hours of cutting, raking and piling square hay bales by hand in the old barn kept the kids busy in the summer. (Mike says he spent so many hours raking on the D-17 that his butt is still numb). Many of Delbert's early farming years were spent raising beef cattle - at that time all feed with square hay bales. In 1976, Delbert got out of the cattle business and started to sell hay full time. Delbert enjoyed having many workers help with the summer hay crop over the years. Father in-law Ervin Gray pulled wagons out of the field for many years. Delbert's brother Gale enjoyed working for many of the summers driving the baler and making loads on the wagon. Over the years Delbert's hay was shipped to Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana and in to Florida, as well as for use on historic Mackinaw Island. Delbert and his boys would put up over 20,000 bales by hand each July.
In 1980 Joe Jarvie (Delbert’s nephew) started to work the summers for Delbert running tractors and throwing hay bales. In 2003 Joe purchased his first piece of property in Rudyard to begin his own hay operation. By the summer of 2014 Joe (along with his wife Julie) were farming close to 300 acres in the Rudyard area.
In the early 1980’s Delbert’s oldest son Tony began to purchase land and equipment beginning his own farming operation. Tony along with his wife Kim raised three boys (Jess, Joel and Jordan) along with one daughter (Alise) in the town of Rudyard, but with work on the farm in the summer. Jordan worked closely with his dad during his school days and for a few years after graduation with the farming operation. Tony is now farming close to 1,000 acres in the Rudyard area and enjoys every minute of sunshine on the tractors.
In 1983 Delbert’s middle son Matt purchased 40 acres near Rudyard and also began to put up hay. Matt and his wife Laurie raised two children (Erin and Graham) on the farm. Each summer Matt would fill his barn with the help of his family and friends. Matt’s son Graham helped with the farming at both his dad’s farm, as well as with his Grandpa Graham’s Michigan Historic Farm in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Matt sold his farm in 2010 built a house closer to his dad (Delbert) and continues to enjoy hunting and life in the country with his wife Laurie to the fullest.
In 2011 Graham Jarvie formed a hay baling partnership with his grandpa John Graham in Sault Ste Marie, and is now expanding his own farming and business opportunities in the Rudyard area as both a hay producer and broker. Graham is the youngest of the Jarvie Hay Farms team and has a bright future in becoming supplier of top quality hay from Michigan Eastern Upper Peninsula.
On August 26, 1931 Eino Jarvie bought 80 acres of property 7 miles southeast of Rudyard, Michigan. He moved his family, three cows & two dogs to the farm in 1935 where he and his wife Goldie proceeded to raise 12 kids. On the farm Eino would typically have 7 to 10 dairy cows to milk each day along with 2 draft horses to help with the field work. The kids all helped to put up hay using horses and an old hay loader. All the hay would have to be placed in the mows with the old pulley system and a team of horses. As the years went by Eino modernized the operation and added tractors, balers, etc.. and acreage to the Jarvie farm operation.
In 1960 Delbert Jarvie purchased the farm from his father Eino. Delbert, along with his wife Jean raised 3 boys (Tony, Matt & Mike) on the family farm. All three boys did their share of chores and were very busy during the hay baling season. Many hours of cutting, raking and piling square hay bales by hand in the old barn kept the kids busy in the summer. (Mike says he spent so many hours raking on the D-17 that his butt is still numb). Many of Delbert's early farming years were spent raising beef cattle - at that time all feed with square hay bales. In 1976, Delbert got out of the cattle business and started to sell hay full time. Delbert enjoyed having many workers help with the summer hay crop over the years. Father in-law Ervin Gray pulled wagons out of the field for many years. Delbert's brother Gale enjoyed working for many of the summers driving the baler and making loads on the wagon. Over the years Delbert's hay was shipped to Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana and in to Florida, as well as for use on historic Mackinaw Island. Delbert and his boys would put up over 20,000 bales by hand each July.
In 1980 Joe Jarvie (Delbert’s nephew) started to work the summers for Delbert running tractors and throwing hay bales. In 2003 Joe purchased his first piece of property in Rudyard to begin his own hay operation. By the summer of 2014 Joe (along with his wife Julie) were farming close to 300 acres in the Rudyard area.
In the early 1980’s Delbert’s oldest son Tony began to purchase land and equipment beginning his own farming operation. Tony along with his wife Kim raised three boys (Jess, Joel and Jordan) along with one daughter (Alise) in the town of Rudyard, but with work on the farm in the summer. Jordan worked closely with his dad during his school days and for a few years after graduation with the farming operation. Tony is now farming close to 1,000 acres in the Rudyard area and enjoys every minute of sunshine on the tractors.
In 1983 Delbert’s middle son Matt purchased 40 acres near Rudyard and also began to put up hay. Matt and his wife Laurie raised two children (Erin and Graham) on the farm. Each summer Matt would fill his barn with the help of his family and friends. Matt’s son Graham helped with the farming at both his dad’s farm, as well as with his Grandpa Graham’s Michigan Historic Farm in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Matt sold his farm in 2010 built a house closer to his dad (Delbert) and continues to enjoy hunting and life in the country with his wife Laurie to the fullest.
In 2011 Graham Jarvie formed a hay baling partnership with his grandpa John Graham in Sault Ste Marie, and is now expanding his own farming and business opportunities in the Rudyard area as both a hay producer and broker. Graham is the youngest of the Jarvie Hay Farms team and has a bright future in becoming supplier of top quality hay from Michigan Eastern Upper Peninsula.