Perry County family recognized as Century Farm
NEW DIXIE — The Nutt family has deep roots in this small community in Perry County, which is served by the postal code for Bigelow.
Andreas “Andrew” Nutt (pronounced “Newt”) settled on land in Arkansas, immigrating from the small European county of Liechtenstein in 1880. Fred Nutt, who is one of his descendants and current owner of the family farm, said the offer of land from the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad Co. brought his forefather to the United States, finally settling in the New Dixie community of Perry County.
Nutt Farms was officially established in 1900 by Andreas’ son, Joseph Nutt. The farm recently received recognition as a 2021 Arkansas Century Farm through a program set up under the auspices of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
During a ceremony recognizing the 32 recipients of this year’s honor, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said the Arkansas Century Farm program recognizes Arkansas farms of 10 acres or more owned by the same family for at least 100 years. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture started the Century Farm program in 2012, highlighting the contributions of these families to the agriculture industry and their overall contributions to the state.
Andreas Nutt, born Aug. 27, 1835, and his wife, Emmerita “Emma,” who was born Dec. 25, 1842, farmed the land about five miles from Conway along Highway 60 until they died. Andreas died Sept. 26, 1900, and Emmerita, Oct. 13, 1911; both are buried at St. Boniface Catholic Church Cemetery in New Dixie.
Joseph Nutt, born Feb. 5, 1870, to Andreas and Emmerita, inherited the land from his parents. He and his wife, Carolina, born Dec. 15, 1872, farmed the land until their deaths – he died Feb. 23, 1955, and she, Oct. 7, 1911.
Joseph H. “Joe Henry” Nutt was born March 29, 1900, and died June 18, 1987; he inherited the land from his parents, Joe and Carolina. Joe Henry and his wife, the former Mildred Shelton, who was born Nov. 10, 1906, and died Dec. 24, 1925, were married May 9, 1924, and had several children. Joseph H. Nutt married a second time in 1951 to Mary Catherine Strobel, who was born Nov. 13, 1900, and died Sept. 8, 1989, in 1951.
Andreas Nutt helped build the original St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Dixie, which burned in 1906. The present church was built during the same year with the help of church members and Joseph Nutt. All of the original Nutt family members are buried in St. Boniface cemetery.
Max Nutt was born Oct. 31, 1941, to Joseph H. and Mildred Nutt and inherited the farm from his parents. He and his wife, Juanita, farmed for many years before passing the land on to their son, Fred Nutt, 51, who owns the farm today with his wife, Brandi. Fred and Brandi have a blended family of six children and two grandchildren.
“We hope to pass the land onto our children,” Fred said. “My oldest son is interested in the farm. We hope to keep it in the family for another 100 years.”
Fred has six siblings, farms a total of approximately 400 acres today, raising cows, soybeans, and hay. He leases some land from his uncle, Lee Nutt, a brother to Max Nutt.
“The first settlers here raised corn, for sure,” Max Nutt said.
“Probably cotton, too. My dad, Joseph H., started raising the soybeans.
“It’s always been a family farm … a family affair,” Max said. “I feel honored that our family has received this Century Farm distinction. But it’s for all farms and farmers … we will always need farmers in the future.
“I’ve been recognized as a farmer of the year in Perry County … others in the family have, too,” Max said. “It’s nice to see Fred recognized now.”
Several members of the Nutt family attended the recognition ceremony at the State Capitol in Little Rock.
During the ceremony, Gov. Asa Hutchinson noted that agriculture “is Arkansas’ largest industry, contributing more than $21 billion to the state’s economy annually and providing one of every six jobs in the state.
“Arkansas consistently ranks in the top 25 nationally in the production of more than 15 agricultural commodities,” Hutchinson said.
“Year after year, decade after decade, in the face of many challenges, Century Farm families put everything on the line to earn a living and produce our food, our fabrics, our forests,” the governor said. “Farm families are great for our economy, but they are much more than that. The work ethic, common sense and family values that are the bedrock of a family farm are a model for all Arkansans. For the good of Arkansas, I hope their children and grandchildren choose to continue on the family farm, and that someday, the Arkansas
Department of Agriculture will create an Arkansas TwoCentury Farm program.”
For more information on the Arkansas Century Farm program, visit agriculture.arkansas.gov.