R
story by paige mckay photography by paige mckay and courtesy of kin growers
From left, Mary Patton Murphy, Sally Rutherford, Clara the Cow, Lila Murphy, and Emma Grace Rutherford. Need a little more info here.
olling Fork: many have heard of it, but not many have ventured out to the small, Delta community. For the Rutherford family, it’s home to their family and their farm, Kin Growers. Owned by Mindy and Bill Rutherford, along with their son and business partner, Will, Kin Growers is spread out over nearly 3,700 acres of farm land and is home to beef cows, dairy cows, chickens, goats, and several different row crops. Kin Growers came to be whenever Bill’s father bought the land many years ago, and Bill and Mindy eventually took over. Now, Kin Growers has been serving their community and surrounding areas since 1971, and there is no end in sight. Their children and grandchildren also play key roles in the success of Kin Growers as they lend a helping hand in every aspect, whether it’s in the dairy or with the crops. Upon arrival to Kin Growers, several cows and Lucky the farm dog greet each visitor, and at the end of the driveway is the dairy and Farm Store, along with the herd of Jersey cows and several chickens. Though it looks small from the outside, the tasks that are taken on at Kin Growers are far from small. A typical day on the farm starts with milking the dairy cows bright and early around 6 a.m. Libby Durst, a long-time family friend of the Rutherfords and employee at Kin Growrs, oversees all aspects of the dairy. She milks in the morning and Mindy typically milks in the afternoon. Libby is also in charge of the pasteurization process of the milk. Kin Growers is only one of seven farms in the state that does what the Rutherfords do; they are what’s called a producer-processor, and they pasteurize the milk right there on the farm. The milk from Kin Growers is a bit different from milk you may get at your local grocery, and that’s because the eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 41