2021: The Eck Family

Credit: Edwin Remsberg

Family Name: The Eck Family

The Eck family emigrated to Baltimore from Germany in the mid-1800s. Elmer T. Eck and Sons was established in 1952 when the family purchased 750 acres of land in Queen Anne’s County. Carl Eck and his wife, Doris, worked with his sister, Dorothy Eck Higgs, and her husband, William Jennings Higgs, to milk holsteins and grow row crops. By 1977, Carl and Doris’ son, Mark, began contributing to the farm operation. As a sophomore in high school, Mark built his first chicken house and share-cropped 20 acres. Since then, Mark has gone on to purchase eight farms in Ingleside, expanding his family’s operation and maintaining a strong commitment to the community.

Mark and Vicky Eck own and operate MAE-VUE Farms where they farm 1,500 acres of crops and raise large broiler chickens in seven barns. Their oldest son, Alan, and grandson, Easton, have expanded the family operation to include another 430 acres of crops; production of 715,000 large broiler chickens; 1,800 all-natural, heritage market hogs; a commercial cow-finish beef operation; and a straw and hay business. The Eck’s daughter, Jenell Eck McHenry, lives on a grain and beef farm in Kennedyville with her husband, Joey, and their son, Lee. Beyond the farm, Jenell works for Thompson Ag Consulting, where she is a staunch advocate for the state’s farm community. Mark and Vicky’s son Kenny lives in Austin, Texas, where he owns and manages a healthcare data management company.

Throughout the years, the Eck family has been an outstanding example of the dedication and commitment that farmers have to the environment and their communities. The family works closely with Queen Anne’s Soil Conservation District to install various on-farm best management practices that are designed to protect and preserve natural resources. Additionally, the Eck family is heavily involved with various agricultural organizations in Maryland including 4-H, FFA, and the Farm Bureau.

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Ceremony Date: 3/3/22