Our History

Our farm’s history starts with the initial purchase of 125 acres on the fertile soils of Jackson Township in Frankfort, Indiana by John W. Johnson in 1900. John purchased the land for his son Ward who was interested in agriculture at a young age. As with many farms during that day and age, it was truly a family occupation and way of life with each and every member being invested in the physical demands that farming required.

Over the next few decades there was growth, although it was moderate due to heavy demand on physical labor being the backbone of agricultural production during that time. As Ward and his family grew, it became evident that his son Robert “Bob” Johnson was going to continue the families relatively young, but yet successful farming operation.

After attending to military duties and graduating from Purdue University in 1958, Bob Johnson was now taking over the farmstead that his grandfather had started at the turn of the century. During this time, the operation saw substantial growth as technology developed more efficient equipment to produce row crops. The amount of acres grew, facilities grew, and the success of the family farm continued to evolve into a highly respected operation in not only the surrounding area, but within the state of Indiana as Bob was awarded the prestigious Master Farmer award in 1988 from Prairie Farmer Magazine.

With growth came the addition on the human capital side of the operation, and in late 1970’s Kent Brewer joined the Johnson Farm. Kent just happened to be Bob’s future son in law as he was soon to marry one his Bob’s three daughters. Again, the operation saw a time of growth during which farming was going through both up and down cycles.

Then in the spring of 1992, with the blink of an eye the operation changed. Bob was killed in an unfortunate on-farm accident that sent the whole farming community into shock, and changed the role Kent played in the operation overnight. Although, Bob is still dearly missed today by his family and friends, Kent was able to manage that first year without him through hard work, determination, and grit that very few men would have been able to find when a mentor was taken away so quickly from him.

During the next decade the farm withstood the growing pains and challenges that were faced, and continued to evolve as a leader in the farming community as a honest, hard working, and innovating operation. In 1995 Kent was featured in Farm Journal Magazine for his satellite GPS guided spray truck that was custom built on the farm.  

Today, Kent, his wife, and two sons continue the family farming operation that has expanded from the original 125 acres to the 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans that have grown into the 4th and 5th generation of the Johnson lineage farming in Clinton County. The farm continues with its forward-thinking ideas to push technology and innovation to continue to increase the operations efficiency while keeping a strong focus on the preservation on the land that will continue to support their farming family for generations to come.