Sherman Mertz and Mary B. Thierer begin farming near Manhattan, KS. In 1891, they establish their own farm near Wabaunsee, KS. Sherman and Mary will eventually raise seven children on their farm in Wabaunsee.
Our Family Tradition
No progress without tradition. Since 1890 when Sherman and Mary Mertz settled in the Kaw River Valley and established what would become River Creek Farms, our name has been closely associated with animal husbandry. What began as a modest herd of purebred Angus and Hereford cattle in the late eighteen hundreds has evolved over the decades into one of the premier Simmental and SimAngus herds in the country. Our guiding principles throughout have remained the same: calving ease and disposition, a sincere focus on end-product value and harnessing the benefits of hybrid vigor. These cornerstones remain in place to this day and characterize every bull we sell, even if much has changed over the past 125 years.
Bob & Mary Mertz
Joe & Kim Mertz
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1890
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1924
Harold A. Mertz and Edna Hutchinson marry and begin their life together in a farmhouse just down the road from his father’s (Sherman) residence – establishing the present day headquarters of River Creek Farms.
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1948
Harold D. joins the family farming and ranching operation. He talks his father into switching from commercial to purebred cattle. They purchase their first purebred polled Hereford bulls shortly after.
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1950
Harold D. marries Leola Jeanne Kueny, and begin married life in the house located at present day headquarters. They will eventually raise 5 children on the farm, including Joe and Bob – present day owners of River Creek Farms.
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1951
The Great Flood of 1951 devastates the region/ Jeanne and her 1 month old son, Joe, are evacuated from the farm by a small boat.
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1970
Joe joins his parents on the farm. Shortly after he convinces his father (Harold D.) and Grandmother Mertz to let him A.I. their Polled Hereford Cows to Purebred Simmental bulls.
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1977
Harold D. is recognized as Kansas Master Lamb Feeder; feeding 5600 head of sheep.
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1980
Jeanne begins erecting “One Kansas Farmer Feeds” signs around the state on behalf of Kansas Agri-Women. Eventually, she will be elected national president of American Agri-Women.
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1980
Joe Mertz marries Kim Newell. They begin their married lives together in the same house that Harold A. and Harold D. began their married lives. Joe and Kim raise 4 kids on the farm – Asher, Lincoln, Malia and Abram.
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1985
While selling seedstock half-blood bulls since the mid 1970’s, River Creek Farms begins to advertise purebred Simmentals for sale publicly.
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1987
Bob returns to the farm and marries Mary Debartollo. He spent the previous six years working in Chicago for the National Livestock and Meat Board. Bob and Mary raise 2 kids on the farm – Lisa and David.
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1991
River Creek Farm’s hosts their first annual Bull Sale. Held at the Manhattan Commission Company. 64 bulls average $1440 per head.
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1993
Great Flood of 1993 devastates the region, again. The Mertz Family is forced to evacuate to high ground.
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2004
River Creek Farm’s offers SimAngus bulls publicly for the first time.
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2009
Abram is elected President of the American Junior Simmental Association.
