Oral History Minute: Rodney & Brandon Cheek, Cheek Family Dairy

This week we are going to Ashe County to meet with the Cheek Family Dairy, one of the few small dairies still operating in North Carolina. The interview features Rodney Cheek and his son is Brandon Cheek. They know and love their cows, and we asked them what it was like working so intimately with animals.

Rodney Cheek:

"Every day’s different, every milking’s different. Some days they don’t want to cooperate, you have to make them go in and when you ain’t expecting it they’ll just stand there and rake the milkers off. They’ve passed a law now that they don’t want the tails docked because they think that’s cruel to the animals, and if they ever get their tail good and wet and sloppy they’ll slap you with it. They’re sort of like humans, they’ve all got their own personality. Some of them you can do about anything you want to, and others kick you for breathing on them...

We’re trying to provide a quality product that’s safe and enjoyable for people. I mean, a lot of people don’t like milk but a lot of people does, so if they like it I think it’s an enjoyable product for them and we try to keep it as safe as possible."

Brandon Cheek:

"That and anytime we can prove to somebody that dairy farmers are humane, against what they might see on TV. That’s important, because they get treated as good as your own kids do."

Rodney Cheek:

"Yeah, your cows usually gets treated better. They’re usually fed before you are, and you take care of them. They’re your livelihood, your bread and butter, and you’re not gonna mistreat them."

Cheek Family Dairy sell whole milk, buttermilk, and chocolate milk which they sell at Be Natural Market and the High Country Food Hub.