Morris DeBacker VanHoutte

Was born one of sixteen children in Belgium on February 9, 1890. He came to the United States and started his new life as a worker on a sugar beet farm in Ohio. He diligently saved all of his meager earnings and at the age of nineteen he purchased his own farm, which he sadly lost during the depression in the 1930's.

After his loss, he decided to start all over again by moving to the Detroit area. He started a new livelihood, digging under ground sewers, which were done all by hand. It took him five years, and at the age of 50, he had saved up enough earnings to purchase a 20 acre farm in Utica, located at 18 Mile and Hayes Road. The week before he was to move to his new farm, the farm house caught fire and was a total loss. Thankfully, the gentleman that he purchased the farm from gave Morris some very good advice, it was called fire insurance. The house was rebuilt, and he started planting his crops. At first he was laughed at by locals because "you can't make a living off of sand". According to everyone he had a farm that "no one could get anything to grow". He used his farming knowledge to work the sandy soil, and produce it did, along with the respect from everyone for his ability to grow anything he put his mind to. Along with his son Albert VanHoutte, who farmed side by side with his father Morris, they started truck farming.

Albert VanHoutte Sr. on new 1948 Farmall A Tractor

The VanHoutte's moved to the Romeo area in 1954 and Northern Farm Market was first opened in 1963.

Northern Farm Market is now run by Alberts' third oldest child - George VanHoutte and his wife Judith. George attended Romeo schools and graduated in 1973.

The VanHoutte children from right to left: Gerald age 8, Donald. age 6, George age 5, Linda age 3 1/2, Nancy age 2, and of course the family cat.

All of the VanHoutte children to this day are involved in some type of farming.