— Meet the Herrings

Four Generations.

One Farm.
One Legacy.

Long before Herring Farms became known for exceptional beef, it was simply home -
where hard work begins before sunrise, where fences are repaired together, and where the

values of honesty, responsibility, and caring for God's creation are passed from one

generation to the next.

Ross & Nola Mae · Ron & Dorothy Jean · David & Kelly · Anastin Grace

When you visit Herring Farms, you're not visiting a business. You're visiting family.

Roy "Paw Paw Ross" and Nola Mae "Maw Maw" Herring

Roy "Paw Paw Ross" and Nola Mae "Maw Maw" Herring

Nola Mae "Maw Maw" Herring - Picking Green Peanuts, October 2007

THE BEGINNING
A story that began in 1947.

Long before Herring Farms became known for raising premium beef, it was simply the dream of a young husband and wife who believed that hard work, faith, and a piece of land could build a better future.

In the years following World War II, life across DeFuniak Springs and the surrounding communities looked very different than it does today. Walton County was built on agriculture. Families depended on crops, livestock, timber, and one another. Neighbors helped neighbors, children learned the value of work before sunrise, and every acre of land represented hope for the next generation.

It was during this time that Roy "Ross" Herring carried a simple dream—to own land and become a farmer.

Standing faithfully beside him was his wife, Nola Mae, lovingly known by everyone as "Maw Maw."

In 1947, that dream became reality.

The Herrings purchased their first forty acres from Jackson Timber Company for just $300. While that number may seem small today, it represented an enormous commitment for a young family. The property took six years to pay off, with annual payments of only $50. Every payment represented sacrifice, determination, and faith that the land would one day provide for generations yet to come.

Together they cleared fields, planted crops, raised chickens, hogs, dairy cows, and a handful of beef cattle. They sharecropped the land and built a life one season at a time.

By 1954, they had expanded the farm with an additional forty acres—this time paying the property off in just one year, a testament to years of perseverance and growing success.

Throughout the 1950s, local families began seeking out the grain-finished beef raised by the Herrings. Long before "farm-to-table" became a movement, neighbors already knew where to find honest beef raised by people they trusted.

From 1947 until 2013, Herring Farms remained deeply rooted in crop production while continuing to grow its cattle operation. What began with only a few cows eventually evolved into the thriving cattle farm that continues today.

The land has changed over the decades.

Equipment has changed.

The cattle have changed.

But the values never have.

Today, more than 270 acres stand as living proof that one family's dream continues to grow through four generations of stewardship, hard work, and love for the land.

At Herring Farms, we don't simply own this land. We have been blessed to care for it

Ron "Paw" & Dorothy Jean "Meme" Herring

"The Keepers of the Legacy"

Carrying the Legacy Forward

From the time he was old enough to walk behind his father, Roy Ronald "Ron" Herring was learning what it meant to be a farmer. He learned that farming wasn't something you clocked into — it was who you were.

Side by side, Roy "Ross" Herring and his son worked the land together. They also helped neighboring families by field dressing cattle before hauling them into DeFuniak Springs to the old Ice House, where local processors custom cut each family's beef while customers stood nearby, choosing exactly how they wanted every roast and steak prepared.

Those memories represent more than tradition. They represent a time when communities knew their farmers by name.

When Roy "Ross" Herring passed away, the family suffered an immeasurable loss. Yet the dream he began did not end. Ron and his wife, Dorothy Jean, made a life-changing decision. In 1972, they returned home to DeFuniak Springs to help continue the work alongside Maw Maw. They didn't simply inherit a farm. They accepted the responsibility of protecting a family legacy.

"Farming isn't easy... it's a passion." ~ Ron Herring

If you spend even a few minutes with Ron Herring, you'll quickly discover something that everyone else already knows. He has never met a stranger. Whether you're a lifelong friend or someone visiting the farm for the very first time, you'll likely leave feeling like family.

Ron is loyal.

Hardworking.

Humble.

Down-to-earth.

Always willing to lend a helping hand to a neighbor or family member in need.

He enjoys telling stories, sharing corny dad jokes, gently picking at those he loves, and passing along decades of farming knowledge to anyone willing to learn. Respect is something he freely gives, and something he believes should always be returned.

His life has been one of service—not only to agriculture, but to his community. As a young man, he served in the National Guard, later worked as a Corrections Officer for the State of Florida, as an Electrician at Eglin, and continues serving others today through the Masonic fraternity.

Yet, if you asked Ron what accomplishment means the most to him, it wouldn't be found in any title.

It would be the opportunity to continue caring for the land his parents entrusted to him while teaching the next generation to love it just as deeply.

Beside him every step of the way has been Dorothy Jean.

While Ron worked the fields, Dorothy quietly became one of the strongest pillars this family has ever known.

She planted gardens.

She drove tractors.

She helped however the farm needed helping.

She raised children.

She maintained a successful career.

She cared for her home.

She respected and loved Roy and Maw Maw as if they were her own parents, embracing the Herring family legacy as her own from the day she agreed to move back to the farm.

She began her professional career as a cosmetologist before following another calling as an educator. She became a respected teacher, later serving for many years on the Walton County School Board, helping shape the lives of countless children throughout the community.

But perhaps the greatest work she ever did happened quietly. She prayed. There were nights she walked the floors wondering how the bills would be paid. She prayed over the crops. She prayed over the cattle. She prayed over the weather. She prayed over the family. While Ron carried the weight of the fields, Dorothy carried the weight of the family. She kept the books. She kept everyone fed with the homemade meals her family still talks about today. She encouraged growth when change was difficult. She never stopped believing.

Together, Ron and Dorothy became the kind of parents and grandparents every family hopes to have. Ball games. School programs. Doctor appointments. Car pools. Sick days. Celebrations. Heartbreaks. No matter the season of life, they showed up. Again and again. Family has always come first.

Family has always come first

David & Kelly Herring

Growing the Next Chapter

Responsibility Begins Before the Sun Rises

Growing up on Herring Farms taught David Ronald Herring something that has never left him: responsibility begins before the sun rises. Like his father and grandfather before him, David developed a work ethic rooted in service.

He graduated from Paxton Senior High School before beginning a distinguished career in law enforcement - serving with the Walton County Sheriff's Office, then nearly two decades as a Florida State Trooper. Today, he continues serving the public through the United States Department of Transportation.

Yet despite decades spent protecting others, every workday still ends much the same way. He comes home, changes clothes, and heads to the pasture - five or six more hours, weekends, holidays, before daylight, after dark. Because the cattle still need feeding. Fences still need repairing. Equipment still needs maintaining. The farm doesn't stop simply because the workday ended.

In 2000, David added his own herd to Herring Farms, continuing the family's commitment to raising quality cattle with integrity and care. Kelly often says David is everything to their family: loyal, compassionate, understanding, dedicated beyond measure - always thinking about what needs to be fixed, improved, or prepared before anyone else notices. He is, first and foremost, a family man. Nothing comes before his family or the farm.

For Kelly, marrying a cattle farmer meant stepping into a world she never imagined - she jokes that she didn't fully understand what she was signing up for. David still laughs about the day she insisted her flip-flops were perfectly acceptable farm shoes, until a wooden fence post proved otherwise. Even today, they smile about that memory.

Over the years, Kelly has become an irreplaceable part of the operation. She keeps the books organized. She supports every decision. She makes sure David stays hydrated during long days in the fields, and if he doesn't answer his phone, she'll come looking for him. She treasures every photograph because she knows memories become family history, and she delights in finding newborn calves, talking softly to mother and baby, stealing moments of affection before those calves become too independent to stand still for it. She'll gladly tell you she loves country life - even if she's still negotiating with the bugs.

Together, David and Kelly continue expanding Herring Farms while preserving the values that have guided it for generations.

The farm has never simply raised cattle.

It has raised people.

Anastin Grace Herring

The Fourth Generation

Learning to Carry It Forward

Every generation inherits a legacy. The fourth generation is learning how to carry it forward.

For Anastin Grace Herring, growing up on Herring Farms wasn't simply childhood - it was preparation.

While many of her friends attended sleepovers and weekend activities, Anastin often chose responsibility instead.

She fed cattle.

She washed cattle.

She walked cattle.

She showed cattle.

She spent countless hours preparing animals for competitions, learning patience, discipline, confidence, and leadership along the way.

Those experiences shaped far more than ribbons. confidently, presenting herself well, and caring for her animals became second nature.

They shaped character.

She credits the farm with giving her an old soul, a strong work ethic, confidence under pressure, and the ability to adapt when life becomes difficult.

The interview skills she possesses today began years ago in cattle show rings, where speaking confidently, presenting herself well, and caring for her animals became second nature.