M.R. Gardner was born on Chanute Air Force Base, the youngest of eight children and has been a well-respected and independent business owner for over 30 years. M.R. has a loving family including his wife of over 31 years and the two grandchildren they proudly raised from early childhood.

M. R. started writing The Farm when his family briefly lived in Martinsville, Indiana and much of what is written about Martinsville is inspired by their actual experiences. Growing up in the big city of Indianapolis but raised by parents that had a small-town upbringing and sense of values, M.R. was unfamiliar with and shocked by how the family’s experiences in the small, but notorious, town of Martinsville stood in stark contrast to what they expected.

M.R. has spent 15 years researching the topics and times explored in The Farm and has incorporated as many factual and accurate historic references as possible including names, businesses, people, and places. Incorporating actual documented stories from the past and personal experiences from the modern day, M.R. creates a story that explores how past transgressions can parallel current times. Whenever possible, historic locations mentioned in The Farm were explored by Gardner to add relevancy and historical value to the story.

The challenge presented in The Farm is for the reader to discern what is fact, and what is fiction in the story, if possible.