Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

Humility is a common trait among farmers. The family at Marshall Farms insists they're "just average," but their story of building a first-generation cattle operation, raising the next generation and pursuing excellence in every animal proves otherwise.

In Uriah, Alabama, Kevin and Brandy Marshall have built Marshall Farms from the ground up. The couple purchased their land in 2006, but it wasn't until 2016 that they began building their cattle operation.

Their motivation was simple: They wanted to grow their own beef for their family.

After raising their own cattle, the Marshalls quickly noticed a difference. The meat was better quality, tasted better and seemed to fill them up faster. Before long, a few neighbors began asking if they could purchase some of the beef, and word continued to spread.

What started as a way to provide better food for their own family eventually grew into a farm serving families throughout their community.

Today, Marshall Farms produces about 20 to 25 calves each year for sale. The cattle are primarily a mix of Beefmaster and Angus, with the farm maintaining its own bulls, including a black Angus and a red Angus. The herd includes about 40 brood cows and 25 yearling heifers.

For the Marshalls, raising quality beef starts with the animals themselves. Temperament is one of the most important traits they look for, and they aren't willing to compromise.

They specifically cull for temperament, choosing not to keep cattle that are difficult or unpredictable to handle. For Kevin, good livestock aren't just about what they look like or how much they can produce. How they behave matters, too.

The farm has expanded beyond cattle as well. The Marshalls raise about 15 to 20 hogs each year, purchasing piglets from Auburn and feeding them out on the farm. They also raise a small number of sheep, giving customers additional locally raised meat options.

The farm's commitment to agriculture extends beyond its own operation. Kevin and Brandy regularly attend local livestock shows to support young people and the agricultural community, purchasing a couple of pigs for meat along the way.

Their daughter has found her own way to be involved in agriculture. Her flock of leftover 4-H show chickens now provides eggs that she sells at a small store down the road. She sells about eight to 12 dozen eggs each week, turning a 4-H project into a small business of her own.

All of the meat produced by Marshall Farms is natural, reflecting the family's focus on providing food they feel good about raising and feeding to their own families.

Still, Kevin doesn't see anything particularly extraordinary about the way they raise their livestock.

"Everyone always asks us what we are doing differently with our livestock. I don't know that we are doing anything differently," Kevin said.

Maybe that's the point.

There isn't one secret or single practice that makes Marshall Farms different. Instead, the difference comes from the everyday decisions: choosing quality, paying attention to temperament, caring for their animals and building a farm that supports their family and community.

For Kevin, the ultimate goal is to make the farm profitable enough that he no longer needs a second income and can devote his time entirely to farming.

What began with a piece of land, a desire to raise better food for his family and a few neighbors has grown into a first-generation farm with cattle, pork and sheep. Kevin and Brandy may call themselves "just average farmers," but their commitment to their livestock, their family and their community tells a different story.

At Marshall Farms, doing things the right way isn't about being different. It's simply about doing the work every day.