A McLean County family has been honored with the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s “Legacy Farm” award, recognizing their enduring dedication to agriculture across five generations.
Brothers Mark and Louis Robertson lead the operation alongside Louis’s son Cody and Mark’s daughter Mallory.
Mark and Louis said it feels good to be recognized for 178 years of their family’s hard work.
“You’re continuing on with something someone else was dedicated to,” Mark said.
He noted that all the generations before him faced significant challenges, and it feels great to know they are also persevering and carrying on the legacy.
Louis added that it’s an honor to continue the work of their ancestors, especially when considering the struggles they endured, such as the Civil War.
For the Robertson brothers, no two years on the farm are ever the same. They recalled facing severe droughts in 1983 and 2012, and major flooding in 2016 from the Green River. This spring, they experienced a year’s worth of rain in just a few months, followed by a 40-day drought.
“Weather is always our biggest challenge,” they said. They also noted that while the cost to produce crops has increased tremendously, grain prices have barely risen since the 1970s. Despite these obstacles, they said working with family toward a shared goal has been their greatest triumph.
As a fifth-generation family member, Mallory reflected on what it means to carry on a tradition that has spanned 178 years.
“It’s an honor to be part of the family farm,” she said. “Looking back at the last 178 years, it’s neat to see how each family member has contributed to the farm to make it successful and what makes it into what it is today.”
Mallory highlighted how each generation has brought its own unique niche to the operation. When her cousin, Cody, returned from college, he expanded the beef cattle operation while she added vegetable production after her own college experience.
“Each person in each generation grows the farm in another avenue,” she said.
Cody, a key figure in the family’s fifth generation, sees his role as a bridge between the past and future.
He noted that technology has been the biggest change in farming since he was a child, making the work more efficient. However, he emphasized that some traditions, like the necessity of hard work, will never change.
In fact, all generations of the Robertson family emphasized the importance of a strong work ethic.
“Regardless of how smart you are, you can’t get anything accomplished without a work ethic,” Mallory said, recalling her childhood spent in tobacco fields and her family’s commitment to feeding their cattle every Christmas Day.
“Farming and feeding the world doesn’t just wait until it’s convenient,” she said. “You have to expect the unexpected at all times, and you have to be ready to jump and go.”
Looking to the future, Mallory expressed hope that the farm will continue for another five generations, allowing future family members to “live the life I have grown to love.”
Mark and Louis both agreed that the most important value passed down through five generations is faith.
“We strive to do the best we can to produce the best yields possible,” they said. “However, you don’t know the challenges ahead. We strive to be the best stewards we can be of the land, but ultimately God is in control.”
