Hatcher Family Dairy’s Local Milk

After reading the 100 Mile Diet, I’ve been paying more attention to local Tennessee products.

A friend and Nashville foodie mentioned the Hatcher Family Dairy in Williamson County.

I took a winding drive from Brentwood to the Hatcher Family Dairy in College Grove, just to check it out.

Here’s more about the charming shop and local milk products I discovered…

 

Getting There

College Grove, Tennessee is a little farther from Brentwood than I thought!

I took I-65 south to the Hwy. 96 exit in Franklin. Then, turn left toward Murfreesboro. Turn right at the light to Arno Road, and keep on going!

6545 Arno Road
College Grove, TN 37046
(615) 368-3405

Luckily, the surrounding farmland makes for a beautiful drive. You’ll pass Page High School, the Black Dog Market, and a sign for unincorporated Ruckerville.

 

First Impressions

The Hatcher Farm Dairy is an inconspicuous building on the right.

(If you reach the sign for unincorporated Arno, you’ve gone too far!)

The Hatcher Family Dairy building is part veterinary practice, part charming shop.

The Hatcher family has taken the time to make their dairy shop a feast for the eyes, not just the palate.

I appreciated all the details, like this natural stone patio with its iron bistro tables.

Inside, the small storefront brims with local merchandise.

You won’t miss the refrigerated case, of course, but you can also find handmade soaps, local beef steaks, hand dyed wools and more. 

Local Tennessee products I spotted:

• pints of fresh cream
• half-gallons of whole, 2% and skim milk
• pints of chocolate and regular milk
• Sweetwater Valley cheese
   

The cost of local milk from Hatcher Family Dairy is comparable to Horizon organic milk from Walmart.

• $3 a half-gallon for whole milk (with cream)
• $2.50 a half-gallon when you buy 3 or more half-gallons at a time

Buying Local Milk In Brentwood

You can order Hatcher Dairy milk through Plumgood Foods, a Nashville delivery service for organic groceries.

You can also buy Hatcher Dairy milk at the Jamison Market, Henpeck Market, Rutherford Co-op, Blackdog Market, College Grove Grocery, and Whole Foods Markets.

 

So, How Does Local Milk Taste?

Great!

Hatcher Family Dairy milk has much stronger flavor than our regular Kroger brand.

(To be fair, our son says the Kroger milk "tastes like white.") The cream we skimmed from the top of our whole milk had an entirely fresh taste and texture.

We also bought a pint of ultra-rich chocolate milk. Mmmm! You could definitely tell that it was sweetened with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. Hatcher Family Dairy easily beat Purity in our informal chocolate milk tasting experience!

Here’s an interesting video about the Hatcher Family Dairy.

 

Other Local Dairies Near Nashville

• Purity is the only remaining dairy in Davidson County. Its plant is located on Murfreesboro Road near downtown.
• Rock Springs Farm milk from Wildersville, TN is available at the Produce Place in west Nashville.
• Blue Bell Ice Cream, a Texas company, has a huge distribution center in nearby Nolensville, TN.

 

Related Resources for Local Food Brentwood

Fun Shopping At Fresh Market
Making Gift Baskets From Local Tennessee Products
Local Foods Menu at Saffire and the Franklin Farmer’s Market
Pick TN Products Website