Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

farm·ing /ˈfärmiNG/

noun

Definition: The activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock.

You could ask every producer across the state of Alabama, the country, or even the world to describe the meaning behind this word, and every single answer would be different. Some words come to mind - past, future, passion, love, livelihood, rewarding, and challenging, to name a few. Everyone in agriculture has their own mental picture around this word based on the life they have lived, the lessons they have learned, and the future they hope for. At Jones Farm in Autauga County, farming can be best summed up in one word - legacy. 

Jones Farm is a beef, pork and produce operation run by three generations of the Jones family. Parents, Donnie and Sharon Jones, took over the farm on family land. It was on this very land they raised their three children, Daniel, Austin, and Rebecca. The farm began as a cow/calf operation, and all transactions were made through local board sales (a special time to sell large, uniform groups of cattle, and buyers evaluate the calves prior to the sale). However, the farm pivoted almost two decades ago. To better suit the family’s needs for a steady income during a tumultuous time in the cattle market, the new business model focused on selling beef to local consumers. 

In addition to the many business changes made over the years, the family has also grown. Rebecca and her husband, Micah, married in 2018 and had their son, Obadiah, in 2020. Austin and his wife, Mary Grace, married in 2022, and Daniel and his wife, Josie, married in 2023. 

A wonderful component of adding new people to any operation is adding new skill sets. With the addition of these new in-laws (more fondly known by the Jones family as “in-loves”), came many new interests and talents, allowing the farm to adapt further. A website was developed, an online storefront was opened, and the social media page tripled its reach in less than a year! To support the additional members, new crops and animals were added to the farm rotation. Pigs were added as a new protein option for current customers, and Daniel began raising produce on extra land during the summer to provide a cash crop. 

The family has worked together to create the future they want to leave for generations to come. A love of the land, care for the animals, and a happy life for those on the farm are the center of many conversations. The heritage they are creating for that third generation (and hopefully countless generations after that) focuses on providing not only a quality protein to their local customers but also a relationship and understanding of the work that goes into these food products.

Despite the many, MANY changes to this land, family, and business, one thing has remained consistent: Members of the Jones family all work to fill their unique role in developing this legacy they call “home.”

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Sweet Grown Alabama.