Granny’s Creamery began after David and Robin Mahan transitioned to raw milk sales
THEODOSIA, MO. – In the 1950s, married couple Bill and Juanita Mahan left Kansas City and returned to the Ozarks after purchasing property in Theodosia. Soon after, their son, David, accompanied Bill to Wisconsin to buy a truckload of Holstein heifer calves. These were the first cows to enter the farm now known as Granny’s Creamery.
Today, David and his wife, Robin, own and operate the farm. David joined the Navy in 1972 after graduating from Gainesville (Mo.) High School. Ten years later, Robin graduated from the same high school, and the two married a year later.
The couple lived outside of their home state throughout David’s Navy service, but in 1990, they returned to Ozark County and took over David’s parents’ farm.
The transition was not without its challenges. As operational costs continued to rise, the Mahans found themselves at a crossroads. The realization dawned on them that commercial dairy farming was no longer a sustainable business.
“We had seen this coming for quite some time,” Robin said.
Luckily, the solution to this issue was right under their noses.
During the farm’s commercial era, the Mahans set aside milk for their own consumption. Unlike their pasteurized commercial products, this milk was left untreated.
“We had always drank our raw milk, and it served our health and palate well,” Robin said. “So we began to think other people might enjoy the same benefits.”
That’s how Granny’s Creamery was born. After transitioning to selling raw milk, Robin and her husband realized many people loved it. Unfortunately, they also became aware of its critics.
“It’s totally legal in Missouri,” Robin said. She added that Granny’s Creamery adheres to all state laws and regulations.
The motto, “Healthy milk from healthy cows, the way God intended,” is quite fitting, considering the faith-based nature of the operation. Robin said their farm is a sanctuary for those seeking spiritual guidance.
“God always sends folks our way who are in need of prayer,” she said.
Granny’s Creamery also offers its customers a taste of nostalgia, many of whom reminisce about their childhood experiences with raw milk.
“It just takes them back to childhood. Most of them open their milk right there and take a big drink, and the smile on their face is worth all the work,” Robin said.
The dairy farm is home to Jersey, Guernsey and Holstein cows, three breeds the family has always milked. Robin noted the breeds’ butterfat and protein counts.
“There is a lot of yummy cream sitting on each gallon of milk here at the farm,” she said.
Currently, the farm milks six cows, with additional cows in the maternity field. In the summer, the cows eat grass. They consume grass hay produced on the farm for the remainder of the year, supplemented by a 16 percent feed in the milk barn.
Granny’s Creamery offers not only raw milk, but raw cream, vanilla bean creamer made with real vanilla beans and sweetened with pure maple syrup, homemade butter and homemade garlic herb butter (made with herbs grown on the farm). Farm fresh eggs are also available for purchase.
Quality and safety are paramount at Granny’s Creamery.
“Our milk is antibiotic and hormone-free. We practice the same milking and animal health protocols as we did when milking commercially,” Robin said. Each batch of milk undergoes stringent testing by the Mahans themselves before being made available for sale.
The Mahans monitor their herd closely, keeping them aware of individual cows’ health. Sick cows are separated from the herd to receive treatment and recover. If recovery is impossible, a cow must be culled from the herd. The cows do not produce milk while they receive medication of any sort.
In addition to producing raw milk, Granny’s Creamery educates its customers about its benefits. Robin is particularly struck by the number of customers who can tolerate raw dairy despite issues with store-bought alternatives.
Granny’s Creamery welcomes visitors interested in experiencing the unique flavor of raw milk or learning more about its operations.
