Hatcher Family Dairy

A wholesome heritage in College Grove, Tennessee

When Charlie Hatcher and his brother Jim started up Hatcher Family Dairy in 1992, it was the natural step in a family heritage spanning more than 150 years.  The operation has been in existence since 1831, and each generation has been milking cows on the property, either by hand or by machine. So preserving the family heritage—and their own love of the dairy business and the cows that serve it—was an important goal. For Charlie and Jim, the question was how to make it sustainable in the long run.

“We’d had good years and bad years, like all dairy operations,” says Charlie. “We decided to do something novel and unique to make sure it was sustainable and keep it sustainable in the future.”

The market for all-natural milk existed, but the problem was finding the capital to bottle it. That’s where a little creativity came in. “We decided to enter into a joint pilot marketing scheme at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. We bought them a bottling machine in which they could train students in exchange for a specified number of processing loads—and it’s been a huge success. The president of the university says it’s hugely beneficial for the students, too.”

“We now sell the milk through an ‘on-the-farm’ market store, a 750 square foot facility with a walk-in cooler. We also market our products at the farmers market in Franklin, as well as at area Whole Food Markets. The truth is, you’d never know we’re in a recession at our farm. We’re selling out before we’re even done processing, which will allow us to open up own processing facility very soon. We’ve already secured the loan through Farm Credit.”

The Hatcher Family Dairy currently raises Holsteins and Jerseys, which produce the milk for a wide range of products, from non-homogenized whole milk with cream at the top to 2%, skim, and “Brownie’s Best” chocolate milk, named for the family’s only Brown Swiss. “The cows are as much a part of the family as we are,” Charlie says.

What’s more, nearly the whole Hatcher family has a hand in the business, from managing and processing to delivery, store operation, veterinary services, and on-site tours. “If you could sum up our operation in a few words, it would be family, heritage, sustainability, and love,” Charlie says proudly. “That’s what makes our products legendary.”

For more information about the Hatcher Family Dairy’s products, schedule an on-site tour, or read their “Dairy Blog,” visit www.hatcherfamilydairy.com.