An avid reader, MacCutcheon owns more than 300 books on WWII and collects many artifacts and memorabilia. He has an original “Order of the Day” letter from General Eisenhower to the troupes on D-Day and a dog tag from one of the first soldiers who landed in Normandy.
MacCutcheon, 44, has a deep reverence for the soldiers who served during WWII.
“They truly are the greatest generation ... it was truly the time this country became great,” he said.
MacCutcheon especially admires Eisenhower’s character as a general and as a president, “He made a lot of good decisions.”
Growing up in Lebanon, MacCutcheon, worked at the Black Barn in high school and for two summers when home from college, getting first-hand experience on the farming business.
“I met a lot of people and began to understand the produce industry,” MacCutcheon said.
After graduating from the Ohio State University in agriculture, MacCutcheon worked for six years at a large seed company in Illinois until the owner of Black Barn contacted him in 1994 and offered to sell the business.
Today, MacCutcheon grows a variety of produce including tomatoes, sweet corn, six different kinds of peppers and cantaloupe. He also has six green houses where he grows many annuals and perennials.
MacCutcheon has maintained some of the same business relationships as the former owner, including one with Jungle Jims International Market in Fairfield.
“We sold 20,000 pounds of tomatoes to Jungle Jim last year,” he said.
The Black Barn’s produce also can be found at the many local hospitals. MacCutcheon also has a contract with Cincinnati Health Alliance, which distributes produce to many of the Cincinnati-area hospitals.
According to MacCutcheon, the Black Barn dates back to the Civil War era, built by the Shakers, who were well known for their craftsmanship and simplicity of style. It still retains most of its original structure, including the wood floors and an original pulley system that is still hanging from the ceiling today.
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