M A I F L Y N F O A S RM A E B By Glynda Phillips
Beason Family Farm in the Fork community near Philadelphia is meeting a growing demand for fresh locally produced milk while fulfilling Shelby Beason’s childhood dream of owning his own dairy. “I have wanted to be a dairy farmer my whole life,” he said. “But since it’s hard to get started in the dairy business, I started out with beef cattle, hay and poultry instead.” When Shelby and his wife, Marlo, read about Brown Family Dairy in Oxford and Country Girls Creamery in Wiggins, they decided to pay the families a visit. Billy Ray and Paula Brown and Butch and Kiahnell Smith are pasteurizing, bottling and further processing milk that is produced by their own Jersey cows. They sell at farmers markets and/or stores in their respective areas of the state, and they have many loyal customers. “I thought that I could do that, too,” Shelby said.
Getting Started The Beasons talked with experts and drew up a business plan.They bought equipment and built a barn. They already had cows because their kids show registered Jerseys in 4-H. After being inspected and approved by the Mississippi State Department of Health, their operation got underway in October 2012. “We started selling our milk at Williams Brothers and at Vowels stores in Neshoba, Lauderdale, Leake and Winston counties. We also sell from a store on the front of our barn,” Shelby said. “We started out slow, but business picked up substantially around Christmas. We have had to add a couple more cows. The Beasons sell reduced-fat, whole and chocolate milk. They sell cream exclusively from their own store to be used in coffee or for making butter. They offer products by the gallon, half gallon and pint. The cream is sold by the pint. 10
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MAY/JUNE