A Chatham family has been recognized at the provincial level for their contributions to the local farming community.
The McKerrall family of Chatham has been awarded as one of the BMO Farm Families of the Year. Family members Rob, Maureen, Lauren, Ryan, and William McKerrall of Ro Maur Farms were presented with the award title on a farm gate plaque in late September, during the 2022 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo in Kemptville.
This award, which is handed out by BMO Bank of Montreal in cooperation with the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, recognizes a focus on sustainability, community involvement, land stewardship and adaptability in farm management practices.
The McKerralls have been active in the farming community for years, with Rob serving with the Ontario Sugarbeet Growers Association for more than a decade. They have also been involved with the Chatham-Kent Plowman’s Association, the Chatham-Kent 4-H Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
The McKerrall family originally immigrated to Chatham Township from Scotland in the mid-1800s. Since then, their farm has evolved from a field crop/ livestock operation to a diversified cash crop/vegetable farm. They grow sugarbeets, tomatoes, pumpkins, corn, soybeans and wheat.