Hard Work and Dedication Has Brought a Homecooked Meal to You

from May 2023 MArshall-DeKalb

The first of May, a day of liberation

Jimmyand Sandra Williams were like many of us, hard-working folks that just wanted to retire one day. I think many of us worry about when that day comes, “What will we do with our time.” Will we be financially stable? Will we be bored or depressed? Will we want to go back to work? For the Williams, they knew they were going to stay busy.

Jimmy and Sandra were high school sweethearts. They married in August 1979. Their young love blessed them with twin boys in 1981, Brian and Heath Williams. Starting their lives off with twins meant they were not strangers to having a busy and chaotic life. Apparently, they enjoy their busy schedule because they were blessed again with a daughter, Kasey, in 1989.

Working as a trade instructor at the Marshall County Technical School, Jimmy also tinkered around in the cattle business on the side. He bought his first few cows starting their farm in 1983, and they now keep around 50-75 head of cattle. Jimmy retired from Marshall County Tech School in 2003 and went full-time into the cattle business.

Sandra spent 20 years as an assistant manager at Walmart. With the children grown, Sandra retired in 2013 to begin managing her own poultry business.

Now Jimmy and Sandra have a thriving farm. I don’t know about you, but I have heard the poultry business is not really a retirement plan nor is the cattle business. It is really hard work and it keeps you tied down to the farm. In 2016, the entrepreneurs decided to open a country store.

The store consisted of homegrown pork, beef, and Amish goods. They sold to the public by word of mouth. The store was growing, and things seemed great until everything turned for the worst.

In 2017, an old Sunday school teacher and good friend of Jimmy’s had come into the store and noticed several bruises on Jimmy’s arms. He encouraged Jimmy to go to the doctor. With hesitance, Jimmy took his advice and made an appointment. Jimmy and Sandra had always been hard workers, made plans, and succeeded in everything they attempted but now things were not working out as planned. Jimmy was diagnosed with Leukemia on August 31, 2017.

The terrible news hit hard, and they knew it would be difficult and the store would have to shut down for the time being. Jimmy had every intention of beating this disease and with Sandra by his side, they could conquer anything.

On the day he got his diagnosis, Jimmy was admitted to UAB. He spent 29 days there and received 28 chemo treatments. Jimmy came home on September 29, 2017, and continued to receive 80 more much-needed treatments. He had stayed the course and his last treatment was in May 2018. The cancer had gone into remission, and he was cancer free. The Lord saw fit to bless them. The healing process took time. Jimmy has continued to get the praiseworthy news once a year that he is still cancer free.

As he healed, Sandra and Jimmy were still active with the poultry and cattle farm but decided to give the store another run. In 2022, they shut down the poultry farm and decided to put a little twist on things. They started the Arrowhead Smoked Meats and Kitchen, and what joy they have received from beginning this journey.

They have created a business that has brought down-home country living with a good homecooked meal to the public. They are state health-department approved and ServSafe certified. They cook two weekends of every month along with catering options. Their mission statement says it all, “Our goal is to serve you the best meat and sides at the lowest prices possible without sacrificing the quality.” With their hand-built smoker, commercial kitchen, and a little help from the grandchildren, they ensure you will be provided with mouth-watering, high-quality food that is cooked for you, not just their customers but their friends.

I have known Jimmy and Sandra my whole life, and I was thrilled to be able to tell their story. Also, the opportunity for them to feed me was not a disappointment at all. The food is amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s hard to tell you about good food if you haven’t tasted it yourself.

Arrowhead Smoked Meats and Kitchen not only provides smoked meats, but sides and homemade pies. They will also offer sealing on all meats. If you are interested in trying them out, the next cook will be on May 13, followed by May 27, June 17, July 4, and July 22. I promise you; it will not disappoint. Please check out the menu below. To order -Call 256-557-1966 or 256-557-1965. Pick up orders at 29 Road 1988, Albertville, AL 35951

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