b'Left (L-R) Clyde, Christine and Max, c. 1930s.Opposite JT and Christineon their wedding day, 1920.THE BIRTH OFIt was a risky move. With the Rohde familys A FAMILY BUSINESS farm as collateral against the loan for the mill, Adolph and Anna stood to lose their home With its limestone soils and Mediterraneanif the plans went south. But the risk paid off; climate, the Adelaide Plains is perfect forwithin a year, the business was flourishing, growing quality hay. And in early part of thesupplying chaff throughout the state. twentieth century, chaff and hay were in high demand. Hay was cut into chaff with a chaffA year later, in a change ofdirection, Beno cutter, then mixed together with other forageleft the mill to start an electrical refrigeration to feed horses and cattle.business, and JT bought him out. When JT and Christine arrived in Stockport,JT and Christines second son, Clyde, arrived he began working onthe Rohde familyon19 January 1924, and JT continued to work farm. Christines parents, Adolph and Anna,hard, cutting hay at the farm and chaffing at welcomed him into the family and soon, withthe mill, building a legacy for the generations his canny sense ofbusiness, JT spotted theto come.opportunity to turn the hay grown there into a tidy side hustle. In partnership with Christines brother, Heinrich Beno Rohde, the two established a small chaff mill. 14 JOHNSONS100 YEARS IN THE MAKING'