JUNE HAS been recognized as Dairy Month since 1939, but on June 1, Bedford County Mayor Chad Graham signed the proclamation to further commemorate dairy farmers all over Middle Tennessee. For some people, this may just be another month, but to farmers all over the city it is a moment for the community to recognize the hard work that may go unnoticed.
As it relates to the community, Dairy Farming is integral to health and nutrition. With the number of dairy farms decreasing yearly, many companies and organizations in Middle Tennessee are ensuring their products are fresh and locally sourced for the community to enjoy. The Nash Family Creamery shares its passion for dairy farming with the community by hosting and participating in events, tours, and other community-wide activities.
Cody Nash is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who owns and operates Nash Family Creamery and helps with the new cheese company and the farm, among many other things.
Nash said there is a lot of gratification that comes with farming, and he remembers celebrating Dairy Month ever since he was a child. His father Steve, his mother Terry, his sister Stephanie, and his wife Kara Beth are also involved. The Nash family started dairy farming in California in 1929 and has been in Tennessee for a decade. Nash believes Dairy Month is a way to observe the hard work dairy farmers do behind the scenes, to meet the demands of a career in agriculture.
“I believe it’s just a way to shine a light on many people who have worked hard to provide high-energy, high-protein products for the country. Dairy farmers do a lot of stuff, in terms of we’re farmers, and in terms of raising corn and winter crops and then taking care of cattle, being a machinist, solving a lot of different problems, and wearing a lot of different hats.”
Nash said that a lot of hard work goes into dairy farming and deserves a special month. The Nash family opened the creamery in September of 2020. “We’d al- ways dreamt of putting our brand on a dairy product. This was the culmination of all that work and thought, over the years.” At the creamery, they manufacture premium ice cream in small batches, make homemade grilled cheese sandwiches, and farm products like honey, ham, and jelly from other small farms. The company has received a lot of support throughout the years, and thanks to the community, they withstood the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nash said after COVID, the community became increasingly aware of how fragile the food system was. The company felt it was essential to ensure the community that the food they ate was sourced directly from a farm instead of a regular grocery store.
Nash said, “Products do not just come from the grocery store; local farmers produce them.” The creamery will host a Dairy Day event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 18 at Nash Family Creamery for the community to enjoy. GN
