Our Story

Rooted in faith.
Built for families.

We both grew up in Northern Michigan (Traverse City and Gaylord) and met in sixth grade. We were married in 2010, and together we have three children. Northern Michigan has always been home. It is where our story began and where we hoped we would someday put down permanent roots. Although life carried us far beyond Michigan, our faith, our families, and the values we learned growing up here always kept us grounded.

In 2006, Whitney was one of nine Taylor University students and staff members involved in a devastating van crash that claimed five lives and seriously injured others. In the aftermath, Whitney and fellow student Laura Van Ryn were mistakenly identified as one another. The tragedy, the lives lost, Whitney’s survival, and the grace shown by the families involved reached people around the world.

We remain mindful that this story belongs to every person and family affected. Their faith, compassion, and strength through unimaginable grief taught us to treasure our time together and make meaningful memories with those we love.

Matt went on to serve a career in the United States Army, completing multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and spending much of his career with the 101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. Deployments, training exercises, and long periods apart brought plenty of uncertainty and chaos to our lives.

Between those demanding seasons, visits to local family farms became a blessing to our family. Fall festivals and Christmas events gave us a place to slow down, reconnect, and simply enjoy being together. Some of our most treasured memories were made during those ordinary days on the farm.

Many years ago, we decided that wherever we eventually put down our roots, we wanted to create that same experience for other families.

Patriot Farms is that dream brought to life. It is a veteran-owned, family-built farm rooted in faith, service, and a shared love for Northern Michigan. It is a place where families can step away from the busyness of life, enjoy time together, and create memories that will last for generations.

Welcome to our family’s dream. We cannot wait to share it with yours.