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Dakin Dairy Farms sold to family members
Dakin Dairy Farms in Manatee County will stay in the family, with the owner’s nephews carrying on a generational legacy.
MYAKKA CITY, Fla. - For Ethan, Grant, Garrett and Jason Dakin, farming is their way of life.
"It feels like we are carrying on our legacy, this is what our family has done for three generations now. We will be the fourth," said Ethan.
When their uncle, Jerry Dakin, put Dakin Dairy Farms on the market, they saw an opportunity to work together.
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"This community, they’ve supported us a lot and just knowing this might not be here anymore, did not sit well with us. The farming in Florida has just been diminishing rapidly, more so than before. This was our chance to kind of come in and try and save one in a sense," said Ethan.
His brother Garrett agreed.
"We have neighbors who have pepper farmers, tomato farmers, we’ve got cabbage farmers. We are surrounded. This is an agricultural community out here. The last thing we wanted to see was housing developments and stuff like that," said Garrett.
The brothers all grew up dairy farming. They even helped their uncle when he started the farm here.
"We are the next generation, and we’ve got a generation behind us to leave them something. We hope they’re as passionate, so we can pass it on," said Grant.
Each brother has their own strengths.
By working together, they hope to expand their product line, update the farm and have goals of getting their milk in every grocery store in Florida and beyond.
"When we are together we get a lot of stuff done. We got some big ideas for this place, improvements and a lot of nice things coming down the pipeline. I think a lot of people will be surprised when we get it up and going," said Jason.
By following in the footsteps of their grandfather, uncles and father, they plan to keep the family legacy in Manatee County for the community.
"We are four brothers and that’s four minds. We have four minds with new ideas and new drive, and we will hit the ground running with it," said Garrett.
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