The Faces Behind the Farm

Jan and Rinske de Jong founded Working Cows Dairy after immigrating from the Netherlands to the United States in 1985 Through decades of hard work and dedication, they built the farm from the ground up while raising their three sons, Jonny, Mendy, and Ike, who grew up alongside the family business. Today, Working Cows Dairy remains a family-run operation, with the next generation helping carry on the values of quality, stewardship, and a passion for farming that Jan and Rinske established from the very beginning.

Our Story

  • A New Home

    In 1985 Jan and Rinske de Jong packed their possessions, said their goodbyes, & came to the land of opportunity. Leaving friends & family in Holland, they were guided by a passion & a dream of starting a dairy of their own. Working Cows Dairy was established that same year in October of 1985.

  • Starting Small

    The de Jong’s started milking 180 cows for a dairy farmer in Cottondale, Florida for the use his barn & 40 acres. They leased 55 cows, with the $5,000 they had saved in Holland & started milking 20 hours a day. Working Cows Dairy operated in Cottondale for 2 years. They moved to a rented farm in Grand Ridge, FL in 1987 with 29 cows. In Grand Ridge the farm & the family grew. In four years three sons were born: Jonny, Mendy & Ike, and they worked their way up from 29 cows to 220 cows.

  • Sweet Home Alabama

    In 1991, Working Cows Dairy relocated to Slocomb, Alabama, where the farm continues to operate today. What began as a bold step toward building a better future has grown into a thriving family-owned dairy known for its commitment to quality, sustainability, & responsible farming practices. The move provided the opportunity to expand the herd, cultivate productive pastureland, & establish the foundation for the grass-fed dairy operation that serves families across the South & beyond today.

Organic Values: A Journey

A New Tradition

For 15 years Working Cows Dairy operated as a traditional commercial dairy farm. Following traditional methods we were milking as many as 700 cows 3 times a day. The more we thought about what we where doing, the less happy we were with the practices of traditional dairy farming.

Natural Benefits

In July 2006 we decided to go organic. We were tired of the traditional dairy system. The competition for low prices forced us to use methods that we felt produced milk stripped of many of its natural benefits. The three year process of going organic allowed us to rethink our processes & shift our focus to producing high quality GMO-free milk from grass fed cows.

Becoming Organic

The first step in the process for becoming an organic dairy was to eliminate chemicals, pesticides or herbicides from our fields. Our fields are planted with select grasses that thrive naturally in this area & are blended to provide the best nutritional value for the cows. Plus they love it! We call it our grass buffet.

Being 2 years deep into the transition period our cows went trough their change. As of November 1st. 2009 we have been USDA certified organic. After 2 years being organic we changed over to being grass fed only, no grains at all. We supplement their mineral needs with organic kelp, sea 90 & diatomaceous earth.

Built on Hard Work & Purpose

Every product of Working Cows Dairy starts with intentional care on our farm. From healthy, grass-fed cows grazing open pasture to the daily dedication of our team, we believe great dairy begins with doing things the right way-not the easy way. It’s this commitment to quality, stewardship, & consistency that shapes everything we produce.