The original farm was 47 acres. Fourteen acres were taken during the construction of I-471, leaving 33 acres, which Frank Traina purchased in October of 1978. He later purchased 30 more acres of never farmed woods next to the original farm. Finally, in 2003 Frank and Debbie purchased “South Sunrock”, 43 acres on the opposite side of 3 Mile Creek so that today Sunrock Farm is 106 acres of land.
The farmhouse and old barn on Sunrock Farm were built by German settlers in 1848. The 5 big rock piles in the woods around the farm tell us that a long time ago someone cut down all the trees and plowed the hills to grow corn. When their plow hit a rock they would pick up the rock and throw it in a pile. The cornfield is now gone, and the trees have grown back. Only the huge rock piles remain in the midst of woods to tell their silent story.
The family who built the stone farmhouse and big barn with stone and timbers— Igancio and Mary Ruschmann— had 12 children. The family lived in two rooms. One of the rooms was the kitchen with a wood burning stove, table, and chairs. The other room was where everyone slept. Outside was the outhouse. The parents eventually sold the place to their son Charlie and moved to another farm.
