Mackey’s Choice Farm, a 119-acre farm in Keymar, is set to settle in the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) program! Mackey’s Choice Farm has unique historic features preserved to this day by the families who have stewarded the land for over two centuries. Lucky Acres Farms, LLC, made up of Michael and Paula Putman and Rhonda Steffen, purchased their piece of paradise in 2023 with the help of the Frederick County Critical Farms program. They own preserved farmland just across Little Pipe Creek in Carroll County, along with another preserved Frederick County farm in the Emmitsburg area. They purchased Mackey’s Choice Farm to expand their operation. They currently grow grain and hay on this farm to support their commercial brood cow operation. When Mackey’s Choice Farm was put up for sale, they jumped at the chance to own this one of a kind property.
The Ives family purchased the property in 1968. They loved the historic character of the structures and the picturesque rural views. The house, bank barn, and spring house date back to the early 1800’s. The Ives family put a lot of work into repairing the old structures over the years. They cherished the history and enjoyed their time there so much that they commissioned a mural artist to paint a mural of the property inside the house. The mural, painted by local itinerant painter Virginia McLaughlin who specialized in 18th and 19th century style historic mural paintings, illustrates the beautiful historic structures and beyond to the scenic countryside view from the farm. It also incorporates details of the family into the painting, including depictions of the family members, trees planted by the Ives’, and their beloved dogs. Virginia also included historic neighborhood details such as George Washington’s July 1791 visit to Cookerly’s Tavern and the Haugh’s Episcopal Church in the mural, both of which are just down the road from the farm. The property remained in the Ives family until they sold it to Lucky Acres Farms, LLC in 2023.
The Putman/Steffen family instantly fell in love with the property’s charm. Not only was the property conveniently located just across Little Pipe Creek from their home farm, but the historic house, barn, and spring house on this farm are rare gems that they are eager to enjoy. They come from a farming family; Paula and Michael’s children, who take great pride in the daily upkeep of the Mackey’s Choice Farm, will be the 4th generation of farmers in their family. Paula and Rhonda’s grandparents purchased the family’s first farm in 1943. In 2023, they celebrated 80 years as a farming family. Today, the family farms 1,000 acres of land in Frederick and Carroll counties. The Putman/Steffen family is truly committed to preserving both the land and the legacy of Mackey’s Choice Farm.