Ernest & Lola McKirryher, McKirryher Farm, Floating Acres Farm, Rutland, Vermont. Ernest and Lola McKirryher purchased the 200-acre Twin Bridge Farms in Rutland Vermont, in 1947. They moved in on April 3rd and a disastrous flood washed them out on June 3rd of that year.

This is how Floating Acres Farm got it's name. They had 83 head of cattle, but lost only 10 in the flood, as well as one barn, the creamery and all of the machinery. For about 30 years they pasteurized and bottled their milk, and sold it to a fellow who peddled in Rutland City. When the law came into effect that the milk also had to be homogenized, they decided to sell in bulk.

Most of their cows were a mixed herd, which always included a few Milking Shorthorns. When they sold the farm house, barns and 30 acres in 1984, they also sold some of the cattle and with their two sons went into construction work.

They built an equipment garage, new house and cow barn on part of the farm. They continued to raise Shorthorn cattle and the family has shown them in 4-H and at different fairs in open shows in the Northeast. At the present time, Floating Acres Farm is still in operation by their son with a mixed herd of 35 Milking Shorthorns and 20 Brown Swiss, and showing at fairs throughout New England.