come visit
The Farm
Thursday: 10am - 6pm
Friday: 10am - 6pm
Saturday: 9am - 1pm
Farm Store Hours
Our Address
775 CR 1441
Yantis, Texas 75497
The Dairy Barn
When we first began milking in 1982, this was a flat barn where we only milked cows. We could milk 12 cows at a time. Fast forward to 2009, we upgraded the dairy barn to a pit barn to be able to milk more cows at a time. In 2011, we started milking goats in the side shed, but outgrew the space. In 2017, we upgraded the barn so that we could milk goats on one side and cows on the other side at the same time. We can now milk 12 goats and 10 cows during one turn in on their sides, with two different bulk tanks and two separate systems.
The Red Building
Farm Store
We're so excited to have a new 3000 square foot, dedicated space to service all our customers with weekly milk, meat, canned goods, fresh eggs, produce and more.
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We accept cash, checks, debit and credit cards and help milking cows in trade :)
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Enjoy our large parking lot and view of the dairy pastures when you come to visit us.
The Jerseys
Our 60 jersey girls live on 45 acres of coastal/bermuda grass pasture. You know they are happy when they are chewing their cud, our cows are not just cows. Several of our cows have a special place in our heart and most have a story about them. Our oldest jersey on the farm is Caramel at 12 years old. Miracle is a jersey/lineback cross that has a “miraculous” birth story.
Just ask Blake about any of them, he is great with remembering their family history.
Each jersey gives 3-4 gallons of milk each day, with us milking once a day.
The Goats
Our 70 milking does live on 20 acres of coastal/bermuda grass pasture. They have a covered barn to rest in with free choice alfalfa and other hay. Goats are just happy and curious animals. They love playing King of the Mountain and when kids come to visit! They will greet you at the fence, and will chew your shirt or hair if they can get close enough. Our goats are primarily Alpine and Saanen breeds, we have milked all of the different dairy breeds and found that these two work best for our farm. When kidding time comes around, some goats will have just one baby but most have 2-3 babies. Which means our herd can multiply rather quickly. On the whole farm, we have over 150 goats from young stock to milking. Our goats get milked once a day and each goat gives about â…” of a gallon.
history
The Farm
...it all started in
In 1982, Bryant Fisher decided Yantis, Texas was the very spot for a growing dairy farm. With the help of friends and family, he started building the parlor with his own hands. During that time, many coalmines had bought out land that several dairy farms in the area were sitting on. The first buildings, and much of the equipment used in the creation of Bryant's new dairy, came from those farms that had closed down as a result. The first cows in the parlor were predominately Holsteins just like most dairies. They were the popular dairy cow, pumping out a ton of milk and making the green pastures pop with their flashy black and white hides. Milk production in this location began in 1986.
After milking several cows of a few different breeds, Bryant had decided to fuel JR's desire to show dairy cows. In 1989 they reconfigured their herd and moved to only registered dairy cows. JR began his show career attending shows around Texas with various dairy breeds that were all part of their current herd. Blake soon followed, and they were both known in the dairy cow show circuit all over the state. Between Blake and JR showing dairy cows and the interest in knowing about each breed that "could" excel in milk production, there have been a large variety of cows that have come through the Southspoon milk parlor. Holsteins of both the black & white and red & white variety, Jerseys (of course), Aryshires, Guernseys, and Brown Swiss have all made appearances multiple times. Some of the less common breeds like Dutch Belted, Normande, Montebeliarde, and Lineback have been in the barn as well. It was giving the Fisher men an opportunity to have hands-on experience with many breeds and to decide on the best dominant breed for the dairy farm. Jerseys won by a landslide. And while you can still see a Guernsey or 2, a few Holsteins, and a couple other breeds, the herd is now predominantly that brown cow with the beautiful black face that you see in the pastures at Southspoon Farms.
1982
the beginning
...fast forward to
2006
In April, we held a complete herd dispersal auction on the farm due to the ongoing and forecasted second drought year. This was the end of having ten different registered dairy breeds here on the farm.
Then in the Fall of 2006, we started back milking a variety of dairy breeds to sell commercially and continued until 2016.
...and in time
2017
This was the year when change started to happen for the farm.
Blake and Kendra purchased the farm from Bryant and Marilee. We upgraded the barn this year to where cows and goats could be milked in the same barn, as it looks today. Our cow milk was sold to a cheese maker that leased the Red Building called Pachi Pachi Valley Cheese.
Our goat milk was still being delivered to cheese makers across Texas.
...what happened next
2019
In January, we had a conversation with our inspector about selling raw milk. After going through the process and inspections we were graded on as a retail raw dairy in March 2019.
At that time is when we started our journey of having a herd that produced only A2/A2 milk. Our first store was a small cooler that was self-serve. As we grew, we had to add coolers and freezers. We started producing our own beef and pork.
...and then in
2020
The year that everyone will remember, when Covid hit is when we started to feel the demand and growth knocking at our door.
The public began looking for other sources of groceries when the grocery store could not meet their needs. Plus, people want to know where their food comes from and know the people that produce it. Kendra was also teaching school and after much thought and consideration she decided to take some time off to focus on the farm business and its growth.
2020 had its downfalls too, we lost large orders of goat milk due to cheesemakers being hurt by their sales with hotels and restaurants closing. We sold half of the goat herd to stop pouring goat milk down the drain each week.
...after that
2021
Our farm store was growing and at that time customers could only pick up milk at the farm due to state laws. In 2021, Texas passed that farmers could deliver to delivery drop points if the milk was pre ordered and prepaid. We began offering these services to our customers with just 2 delivery points.
...and next
2022
Our herd grew as we purchased a local friend’s raw dairy out. P&E Farms was a raw dairy not far from us that had served its customers for 10 years. We gained new customers and new cows that have developed into new friendships.
In February, J.R. and Vanessa moved back from Oregon to be with family. They manage the garden during the spring time and the chickens year round. J.R. also works for Coba Select Sires.
...which brings us to
2023
In January, we had outgrown the small store at the dairy and moved down the road to our Red Building. We updated and remodeled to where we now have more space to shop. We are now open 3 days a week, and deliver to 6 delivery points across Northeast Texas.
