Grassroots Creamery

09/20/2026

09/11/2026

Purple Ribbon’s Sally Rand did not disappoint! She is months fresh and I didn’t even pull kids or push her this year. This is a Bettie Paige (aka Bitch Betty) daughter who excels her dam in teat diameter, overall attachment and capacity. I kept both sisters from that breeding to A Little Funny Farm BT Nasco *B! Sally was an upper percentile producer as a first freshener last year and I will be milk testing again in 2027. She will be bred to a VERY exciting addition coming this Fall 🥰🥰🥰 Stay tuned…

09/09/2026

ISO!

We are looking for a little part time help, maybe 2 days a week, working with dairy goats, doing some organizing of sheds, cutting grass, etc. Reach out to us if you’re interested. Thanks

09/04/2026

So God made a farmer…

Today I got phone call during what little downtime occurs this time of year. “Grab the lariat, the OB chains, l**e and gloves. I need you to come out here.” I always want him to call me and am so grateful he does. Still, it was an ominous situation. The farm we lease in Orange is stunningly beautiful. Fields stretch for miles with mountain views all around. As we’re in the process of putting a large parcel into grass, we have our cows in some middle fields…away from cattle working facilities. Beef cows aren’t like dairy cows. It’s not a calm hug around the neck and a “let me help you” while the mama willingly trusts you with her life. Today I watched Bruce rope a 1200lb cow, tie her to a cedar tree while she damn near choked herself to death, and rearrange a calf that was dead with one leg back and head out stuck. He saved her life; and after the adrenaline of the situation wore off, she calmly let him take the rope from around her neck and came up to him as if to say “thank you.” So God made a farmer.

08/18/2026

One major challenge I am overcoming after moving from a small-scale homestead to a true working farm is dairy-focused infrastructure. Bruce and David built a holding pen for me and shored up the goat’s winter housing this week. The pen will be used for breeding, holding does while they wait their turn on the milk stand, and as a calf rearing area. We are expecting three jersey/belted galloway crosses in December and I am just starting to breed goats. I’ll be posting pairings throughout the next couple weeks and am opening my breeding reservations waitlist! PM for info! We added some REALLY exciting additions!!

08/08/2026

I have struggled to write this post and started to at least 100 times. When this journey began it was a way of sharing Nanny with the world as she was for me. Losing her to Alzheimer’s very publicly, I showed this little corner of the internet a huge piece of my heart. That chapter of my life has closed and I’m in a much different place now albeit one with a different kind of heartbreak as well as a newly found joy. I’d like to tell one more Nanny story before switching gears and diving into a new chapter with you all. I hope you’ll stick with me as I transition the page over to Grassroots Creamery.

In the little old white house in Altavista that Nanny and Grandaddy used to own, still sits a very old upright piano. I banged and clanged on it as a child and I remember it quite fondly. I don’t know that it was ever tuned, and the yellow-chipped keys and woven wooden front panel remain forever etched into my memory. Nanny used to always say “that piano will be yours one day, Ash” and I would just beam at the thought. I’ve never taken a lesson in my life and I have had several pianos throughout the years. This beautiful satin mahogany Nordiska came to my new home recently. I bought it with the intention of playing old hymns on it and the first one I decided to learn was a framed piece I found at Goodwill for $3.00.

“It Is Well With My Soul” was written by a man named Horatio Spafford. Horatio lost all of his earthly possessions in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Very shortly after that he lost his young son to Scarlet Fever. Then in 1873, he, his wife Anna and 4 daughters were planning a trip to Europe. The girls all went ahead of Horatio and lost their lives at sea to a horrible storm. The lyrics say “when peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrow like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

Learning this piece has been such a healing experience. I’ve enjoyed the reminder that no matter how things are going in this life, we are held and well if we place our faith, hope and love in Christ. Stay tuned, friends 💜

07/02/2026

Drax and Gamora have a very important job here at Dragonfly Farms. While during the day they can be found napping in the shade, at night they are keeping coyotes from eating goat babies, and racoons and foxes out of the chicken tractor! They are priceless, and we happen to have an abundance of beef bones that we happily share as a reward for all their hard work! $3/lb and they make amazing bone broth too!

06/10/2026

Ok disregard the cut off muzzle. Whoops! First attempt at pageant practice does’t always go smoothly. She is still just so lovely though. This is Royal Cedars Villanelle (any other Killing Eve fans here?). She is a Vanilla Bean daughter!

06/04/2026

I’ve followed and loved his grand dam CH Royal Cedars Tove Lo VEEE91 for years now. Messaged Melanie last year about a daughter and she ended up retaining both! Both those girls kidded twin bucks this year and Teton (who placed 3rd in her junior class at nationals) gave us Hidden Meadows TJ Versace here! He is a total love bug and I anticipate making some experimentals with him as well! The wattles y’all 😍😍😍

06/02/2026

Some of my most favorite adventures have been in pursuit of goats. I’ve been to TN twice for goats, CT, MD twice, PA, NJ and now NC! We had some stellar meals at The Fishin’ Pig, Juicy Lucy’s and Cootie Brown’s (rightfully famous key-lime pie). I can now say with total confidence that NC’s bbq is better than TN’s 👀. The BEST latte and blueberry cheesecake was had at Sweets N’ Seats in Asheville. Our stay at https://www.sweetjanesmadco.com/ was completely off grid and the most welcome time to unplug and reconnect with nature. That Prince painting is 5x5 and done entirely with spray paint by TREK6 😱 I wanted it SO BAD for our music room!! Then we hiked a mountain for Tarot, Teas and Trees! We’re coming back home a little plumper, a lot more relaxed, toting heavy duty VA-illegal explosives, and two of the sweetest most beautiful babies. Intros to follow!