COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Alongside its booming development and charming downtowns, Williamson County is home to a rich agricultural history.

As the county experiences rapid growth, though, farmland is vanishing. Farmers like those at Hatcher Family Dairy said they are finding new ways to adapt.

“As much as I don’t like to see farmland disappear, the growth and development is good for those farmers who do value added products like we do, and selling milk directly to the consumer," said Charles Hatcher of Hatcher Family Dairy, a sixth generation Tennessee farmer.

The farm is nestled in the rolling hills of College Grove off Arno Road. Hatcher said his ancestors settled here in 1819, and his family has been milking cows here ever since.

Today, four generations of Hatchers live on the property, handling the entire dairy process from milking the cows to pasteurizing and bottling milk, Hatcher said. Their dairy products are distributed to local grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops, and delivered to customers in a four-county radius.

The farm also has a retail store and museum where visitors can learn more about how the process of managing the creamery has changed over time.

“Williamson County has a rich history in agriculture, especially dairy farming. 50 years ago, there was probably a hundred dairies in this county, now there’s only two left -- and we’re one of those two," Hatcher said.

Hatcher said hay, corn, soybeans and beef cattle are also key agricultural industries in Williamson County today.

As the county loses farmland to development, Hatcher said addressing growth is a challenge that has forced farmers to think outside the box and implement more sustainable practices.

He said Hatcher Family Dairy's product distribution, community partnerships and the movement to eat local has helped them flourish in the past 20 years.

“It’s almost like a relationship between the agriculture and the growth. We see it as an opportunity, and we want to embrace that," he said. "We want to provide goods, products and services to those people that move here, and welcome them. Tennessee is a great place to be.”

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/on-tour-middle-tn/exploring-williamson-county-agriculture-at-hatcher-family-dairy/