'An Icon': Cinnaminson Farmer, Who Died In Accident, Championed Local Agriculture

CINNAMINSON, NJ — As John R. Hunter worked alongside his father at their family farm, he knew tragedy could strike any moment. His family's been doing this for centuries.

John Howard Hunter — the 77-year-old patriarch of Hunter's Farm in Cinnaminson — died in an agricultural accident on Sunday. His death puts the family among a community of New Jerseyans who have lost loved ones to similar events.

"It's an unfortunate club to have to be a part of now," said John R. Hunter, who worked the fields with his father at Hunter's Farm. "What we do is very dangerous, but it's very hard. It's a business. It's not the simple way of life that people think that it is."

Past coverage:

• Farmer Killed In Machinery Accident At Well-Known South Jersey Farm
• Cinnaminson Farmers Market Temporarily Closing After Death In Farming Accident

The Hunters have owned and operated the farmland since 1760 — a century before Cinnaminson Township existed. Their market is not only one of Cinnaminson's best-known destinations, but the family also supplies several farm markets in the area.

As a seventh-generation farmer, John H. Hunter carried out his family legacy while boosting New Jersey's agricultural industry as a whole. He also aided the New Jersey Agricultural Society's Farmers Against Hunger program, which helps farmers share surplus produce with those in need.

"John's contributions to NJ agriculture and the Burlington County farming community were immeasurable," the agricultural society said in a statement. "His steady support of Farmers Against Hunger over the years has meant so much to us. John was not only a dedicated farmer, but a generous friend to many."

After his death, the Burlington County Commissioners called John H. Hunter "an icon."

"He was not only the patriarch of one of the oldest family farms in New Jersey, he was also one of the hardest working and most innovative farmers in the region," the commissioners said in a joint statement.

At the farm, the father-son team of John H. and John R. Hunter led agricultural operations.

On Sunday morning, first responders were dispatched to the farm after a machinery accident. John H. Hunter sustained fatal injuries.

Police have released few details about the incident, which has been under investigation.

Amy Hunter Zorn, who runs the farm market, said it all happened quickly.

"It was a split-second decision in a dangerous way of life," Zorn, who is John H. Hunter's daughter, said in a video the farm shared. "A million things could go wrong here at any given moment, and it did (Monday). And it was exactly that. It was a split-second decision that was no one’s fault. It was just a tragic accident."

The seasonal farmers market has been closed until further notice, but the work hasn't stopped.

It's their peak season, and the Hunters remain focused on harvesting crops. Even on the night after the accident, John R. Hunter was performing farm duties.

"(Sunday) night, I was irrigating all night. And (Monday), we’re right back at it in the fields," John R. Hunter said. "It’s not that it didn’t sink in, but we know what needs to get done. And we know to honor my father, we’re going to get it done and things aren’t going to lack."

As the Hunters keep working, the farming community has stepped up to help, Zorn said.

For instance, close friends from two farmers markets recently picked up truckloads of their produce, promising to sell everything that needs to be sold.

"I have never been prouder than I am right now to be a part of the farming community in Burlington County and in New Jersey," Zorn said.

Watch Zorn and John R. Hunter discuss their father below: