Brandon Hampton at Hampton Farms in northern Limestone County isn’t quite sure what year his family business was started. He knows he is a fourth-generation farmer, and his great-grandaddy had row crops, hogs and beef and dairy cattle.

He also knows people like himself are a “dying breed.” Not many people grow up wanting to be farmers these days.

“It’s a lot of hard work and long hours,” Hampton said. “Most jobs you know what you are going to make by the end of the year, but we are just gambling.”

According to Hampton, Hampton Farms has 2,100 acres of crops from Limestone County up into Giles County, Tennessee, “almost all the way to Pulaski.”

Hampton Farms also has around 225 head of cattle. The farm grows corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and hogs.

Hampton said he does a little bit of everything. He might be planting, running a combine, driving a truck or any of a number of tasks on a given day.

These days, he is working to harvest wheat and may run a combine from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

“We take the wheat to Alabama Farmers Co-op in Decatur and sell it to them,” he said. “Right now, I take a load of wheat every morning to Decatur.”

By the pound

Hampton’s wife, Jessica, is a dental hygienist in Athens, but she also sells meat products from cattle and hogs through the Facebook page Deep South Farms.

“We specialize in whole and half cattle and whole hogs — that’s where people buy the animal and they have it processed how they like it,” she said. “Everything (here) is grain fed. (The customers) get to pick how thick the steaks are cut, what different cuts they want and things like that. We also do USDA processing where they can buy meat by the pound.”

Jessica Hampton said the coronavirus outbreak has made that side of the farm’s business boom, as more and more people come directly to the source for meat products while chain grocery stores have trouble keeping shelves stocked.

“People should have been buying directly from the farmers before now,” she said with a laugh. “We appreciate everyone coming and buying from us. It has been a blessing.”

Brandon Hampton said his day-to-day schedule didn’t change at all when the coronavirus pandemic hit. He said the only thing that really changed was how fast the farm sold meat.

“We butcher our own animals, and we can’t kill it and get it processed fast enough right now,” he said. “We never dreamed we would sell as much meat as we have in the last two months. It has really helped us out.”

Next generation

Brandon Hampton said he went “right to farming” after graduating from Ardmore High School.

“This is all I’ve ever done,” he said. “I was born into it, and I guess I’ll die doing it.”

He and his wife have three children: 10-year-old Addie Jo, 7-year-old Wesley and 6-year-old Ella. He said he doesn’t foresee any of his kids picking up farming as a full-time job.

“I think they will always do something like this but may not make a career out of it,” he said.

He also mentioned an increasing amount of land in Limestone County is being developed for houses and subdivisions, so the amount of local farmland is diminishing.

However, the growing need for rain is more important to him at the moment.

— Thank A Farmer is part of an ongoing series by The News Courier in an attempt to highlight the hard work and dedication of local growers. If you ate today, thank a farmer. If you know a farmer that should be included in the series, let us know by emailing jr@athensnews-courier.com.