Life, liberty, and a love of dairy farming
June 18, 2020 - The Barren County Progress, Jennifer Moonsong
Ally Jones left her family and farm life in South Central Kentucky to pursue an education at the University of Kentucky but it would be an understatement to say that she was homesick for life on the farm.
“I called home one night and talked to Dad,” Ally said. “I was crying because I missed home. I told him what I really wanted to was milk cows again. He told me he wished that, too, but it was close to impossible because of what has happened to family dairy farms these past few years.”
However, Ally felt determined.
Ally’s father, Doug Jones, had an uncle to pass away who left a dairy farm behind. Doug, his wife Genelle, and son Jagger also wanted to start milking again.
“We went to several banks for loans, but we were turned down,” Doug said. “No one wanted to give us a loan for a dairy farm.”
I have to commend Terry Bunnell at The People’s Bank,” Genelle said. “Others didn’t believe in our dream, but Terry did.
“I am glad to be part of this,” said Terry. “It is obvious where this family’s heart is, and it is here on this farm.”
After eighteen months the loan was secure, and Legacy Dairy was born.
Legacy Dairy makes a legacy
The dairy is situated in the picturesque rolling hills of the Hiseville community.
“This is Bella’s legacy,” said Ally.
Bella, one of Ally’s first cows, is still around living out her days on the farm, but is no longer milked.
Ally first fell in love with farming as a young girl who was involved in 4-H.
At Legacy Dairy, the Jones family puts in long hours to keep the operation going.
“I wake up at 4 AM and usually don’t get home till about 8:00 at night,” Ally said. “But I am not complaining. I’m doing what I wanted to do, and I know dad gets a lot less sleep than me because he works on the days that he’s not at the dairy and drives hundreds of miles a day.”
In a time when other dairies have gone under, Legacy Dairy is leaving a legacy for those who have a dream to chase.
Each day, they milk 11 cows twice a day, pasteurize the milk, and bottle the milk every other day. The milk, which is sold in gallons, half gallons, and pints, has become a favorite of people in the region who purchase it at farmer’s markets, Dennison’s Market, Phillips IGA, and other locations.
In fact, the down home, local-friendly product they produce has gained so much attention that they plan to get more cows to expand the operation.
Truly a family farm, everyone in the family is working to make the dairy a success,
“When we are not taking care of the cows, and milking the cows, pasteurizing the milk, or sterilizing the operation or bottling the milk by hand, mom is at the farmers market selling milk, and we’re looking for ways to expand what we do,” Ally said.
Last Thursday, a crowd of people gathered at Legacy Dairy to celebrate a job well done and sign a proclamation on behalf of June Dairy Month.
“This is the best,” said Judge/Executive Michael Hale. “It is truly homegrown, and we need to have it at all local stores. We all need to help promote it because this is an agricultural community.”
In the future, Ally hopes to not only use the farm as a way to milk cows, but also create a hands-on learning environment for people like herself who love farming and want to learn in a non-traditional setting.
“That’s what my passion is,” Ally said. “I want to reach people about agriculture, but not in a classroom.”
To learn more about Legacy Dairy and the legacy they are creating, visit their Facebook page.
