It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date when the Franks family chose to expand their farming operation to offer added-value products. The idea of making cheese crossed their minds, but it seemed difficult to perfect something they had no knowledge of, and was deemed unreasonable. Years passed, and the economics of the dairy industry continued to be an extreme roller coaster for everyone involved.

Late 2008 to early 2009 was the turning point. With the severe drop in milk prices and the increased cost in feed and fuel, it was critical to make some decisions to keep from losing everything they had worked so hard for. Thoughts of selling the farm and cows crossed their minds, but they knew it would be an extreme, overnight change from what they had done for the majority of their lives. To stay in the business the family had run for over 20 years, they had to find some other way to turn a profit.

Knowing that options were limited, the Franks looked to what other producers in similar situations and in the southeast had done. After visiting with several producers, the possibility of developing an on-farm bottling facility became more than just an idea. In the summer of 2009, they thought a bottling plant would be the best fit to make profits regularly, rather than wondering what the milk co-op would pay. In addition, the registered Brown Swiss herd that they had developed over the last quarter of a century would be the perfect quality for locally produced milk. In September the building would begin, followed by equipment installation. The plant was finished and the first batch of milk was processed on January 30, 2010.

Though the business is still fairly young, it has helped to stabilize the volatility of the ever-changing milk market. It has added a lot more book-keeping and has required more labor to successfully operate, but it truly is a "labor of love". Currently, we are breeding for A2A2 and hope to be able to market A2A2 milk in the future.