Logan County family dairy continues in second century

By CHRIS ALDRIDGE, Kentucky Agricultural News

In southern Logan County, near the Tennessee border, the Davenport family has been in the dairy business in Kentucky for more than a century.

“We as a family have been very active in the Kentucky agriculture industry,” said Susan Davenport, whose father remains part of a dying breed in Kentucky agriculture, a third-generation dairy farmer.

Susan’s great-grandfather, J.C. Davenport, started Davenport Farm in the late 1890s and sold milk under the name Park City Dairy in the early 20th century. “We had the first Grade A dairy in Warren County,” Susan said proudly.

J.C.’s sons, James Sr. and Joe, followed their father into the family dairy business, as did James’ son, James Jr., who goes by Jim. Joe owned a large farm in Warren County until 1977. Following Jim’s graduation from the University of Kentucky in 1964, he moved his father’s dairy operation west from Warren County to its current location near Adairville in 1968.

Jim has seen a steady decline in Kentucky’s dairy industry over the past 15 years. In 2005, Kentucky was ranked 25th among the 50 states in milk production at 1.4 billion pounds. Kentucky had 106,000 milk cows in 2005, down 4,000 from the previous year. The state boasted over 600,000 milk cows in 1945, and the number remained over 500,000 until the early 1960s.

Jim, 65, met his wife, Martha, while showing cattle at the Kentucky State Fair in 1961. Martha was a dairy princess that grew up milking Jersey cattle on a small farm in Valley Station near Louisville. “Yes, our family met because of a cow and the Kentucky State Fair,” Susan said.

Jim’s sisters, Margaret Scott and Nancy Hunt, are retired home agents in McLean and Crittenden counties, respectively.

Jim has been involved in the registered Holstein business for half a century and has been a leader in the Kentucky Holstein Cattle Club. Currently, Jim-Mar-D Holsteins milks 40 registered Holstein cows and raises all replacements. It also sells replacement bulls across the state.

Susan’s brother, William, lives in Louisville, where he works for AGCO, which makes Challenger farm equipment. Although the live and work in nearby cities, William and Susan remain active members of the family farm, helping during planting and harvesting. Susan, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., also helps her dad with paperwork, milking and showing cattle.

“We have always been strong supporters of the (Kentucky) Department of Agriculture, 4-H, ag programs at the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University, and the Kentucky State Fair,” Susan said. “I’m very proud of my family’s ties to Kentucky ag.”