Rutherford Family Takes Over Broom Orchard
The Rutherford family.
By TODD MARVER
Enquirer~Democrat Reporter
Marcus and Kelsey Rutherford are the new owners of Broom Orchard, taking over from Jeff and Lisa Broom.
Marcus said they plan on keeping a lot of the same things that the Brooms did. He said the Apple Festival is still going to be on the same weekend it always is, the third weekend in September, and the Pumpkin Festival on the second weekend of October. We plan on keeping that going.”
Marcus said as far as new things adding, they would like to try and build some more stuff to have activities for the kids there. He said they’re looking at maybe adding some additional events at the orchard like barbecue competitions, chili competitions and peach and cider focused events.
“More activities to bring people out and spend more time here,” Marcus said.
Marcus said they plan on keeping most everything that everyone has come to know and love at Broom. He said they’re still going to be making cider and still going to be selling fresh peaches and fruit.
Marcus said one of the main things they plan on doing differently is they’re probably going to stay open a little later through the year. He said the Brooms would typically shut it down around Halloween and they’re probably going into November.
“We’re new to this, so we’re going to learn as we go and see what the community responds to and what they want to see,” Marcus said.
Marcus said they’ll plan on opening when peaches come into season in mid-July. He said they’re still planning on staying open seven days a week.
“Once we open with peaches, hours will probably be close to the same,” Marcus said.
Marcus said he and his wife and have no experience running anything like this. He said one of the big reasons they wanted to take this on was they’ve been living in Louisiana for the past 14 years since they both graduated college. Marcus went to SIU-Carbondale and his wife went to St. Louis University. Marcus studied forestry at SIU-Carbondale. Marcus said he has a little bit of a background as far as tree knowledge and how tree biology works. As far as fruit trees go, Marcus said he has no experience coming into this and he’s learning a lot.
“Jeff and Lisa are gracious enough to stick around and hold our hands through the first year while we learn the business and logistics of running an orchard,” Marcus said.
Marcus said the main reason they wanted to do this was they wanted to move back home and be close to family. Marcus and his wife both grew up in Carlinville and graduated from Carlinville High School.
Marcus said they loved the people and town itself. He said this is where they wanted to raise their family and an orchard seemed like a great place to be able to raise their kids on. They have three kids, seven, four and two years old.
“We felt like this was one of the best ways for us to have a viable career option in Carlinville and be able to raise our kids around our family and the community we grew up knowing,” Marcus said.
Marcus said it’s like drinking from a fire hose learning everything about how to take care of trees, what the pest management program is going to look like and getting to know the various vendors that they use, customers, employees and learning to run a business.
“My wife and I have never ran a business before. We both have been employees, so learning how to run a small business is fun and challenging at the same time. There’s a lot we’ve got to learn over the next year and we’re lucky enough that Jeff and Lisa are going to be there to show us the ropes as we go along,” Marcus said.
Read more in the March 19, 2026 issue of the Macoupin County Enquirer~Democrat.
