Tours at Hatcher Family Dairy
Come experience the rich history and innovation of Hatcher Family Dairy, a six-generation farm located in the heart of College Grove, Tennessee. For over 75 years, we’ve been milking cows in our traditional milk barn, and in 2024, we embraced the future with the installation of a cutting-edge Lely robotic milking system.
Our self-guided tour gives visitors a unique glimpse into both our past and our future. This is an educational tour, and the more you engage with it, the more you’ll get to learn and enjoy. Take your time to stop, read, and soak in all the knowledge along the way!
Here's what you'll experience:
Creamery: See how we transform our milk into premium, locally-made dairy products.
Milk Barn Museum: Explore the history of Hatcher Family Dairy, including the evolution of dairy farming over the generations. Our museum also showcases the history of College Grove and features a variety of vintage milk products for guests to view.
Robot Viewing Room: Witness the modern marvel of our Lely robotic milking system in action, and learn how it enhances the care of our cows and the efficiency of our milking process.
Barn Play Loft: A fun, interactive play area for kids to enjoy while you view our robots and herd from the loft!
Please note, we are a working farm and offer tours on select dates throughout the year. For the most up-to-date availability, please visit our website.
We look forward to welcoming you to Hatcher Family Dairy and sharing our story with you!
F.A.Q.
Is the tour handicap accessible?
This tour is on a working dairy farm with historic structures. We do our best to accommodate all guests, but terrain is uneven and there is a flight of stairs to the barn loft play area. Please reach out to us at tours@hatcherfamilydairy.com with any further questions.
What should I wear?
We encourage you to wear closed toe, comfortable shoes. No sandals or heels. Not all buildings are climate controlled so please dress appropriate for the weather. Tours are rain or shine.
How long is the tour?
You will have access to the tour facilities for an hour and a half. We ask that you proceed to the store after that time to make room in our parking lot for our next tour.
What ages are appropriate for the tour?
A: All ages! We have made this tour self guided so that guests may take their time based on interest and age of group members. Some little guests may want to play longer than other guests. And some older guests may want to spend more time learning about history. We aim to have a fun experience for the whole family!
May we bring lunch and picnic?
We do not offer picnicking at our tour location - you may grab a sandwich at our store and enjoy the picnic area there.
What if there is bad weather?
Tours will continue rain or shine. If there is a severe weather threat we may postpone the tour. We will notify guests via email.
Will we get to pet animals?
No. This is not a petting zoo. For the safety of our guests and animals, access to animals is not permitted during this tour. You will get to view cows safely.
Do you offer field trips?
We offer educational school group tours in the Fall and Spring. We have a three class minimum for guided field trips. Please submit a field trip request form here.
Do you offer group tours?
We have a 30 person minimum for all group tours. Group tours for 30-50 guests are self-guided at $12 per person.
Email us at events@hatcherfamilydairy.com for all group inquiries.
Is there free parking?
Yes, we offer free parking. Our parking area is small, so please consolidate cars and no campers or RVS.
PET POLICY
We welcome all service dogs as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). No other pets are allowed on tours. Dogs whose sole function is to provide assistance for emotional support are not defined as service animals by the ADA. For full ADA guidelines, please read the ADA website here.