This Tennessee Creamery Was Built By A California Dairy Family And Serves More Than 100 Ice Cream Flavors

Imagine a dairy farm packing up 1,200 cows and driving them clear across the country. That actually happened, and the payoff now comes in a waffle cone.

A family who milked cows through the Great Depression eventually traded dry western fields for the greener pastures of Tennessee.

What started as a major move turned into something much sweeter, with more than 100 rotating ice cream flavors now giving visitors plenty of reasons to stop.

The creamery also serves farm cheese, hot sandwiches, and other dairy favorites only a short distance from where the cows are raised. That connection between farm and scoop makes the experience feel especially personal.

Some people come for a cone, others for lunch, and plenty end up leaving with more than they planned. Either way, this Tennessee creamery proves that one bold family move can lead to a very delicious destination.

A Dairy Story That Began In 1929

Wallace and Ida Nash started milking cows in central California in 1929. The timing could hardly have been rougher, since the Great Depression arrived almost immediately.

Milk paid the bills when little else did. That stubborn work ethic became the foundation of everything the family built later.

For more than eighty years, the Nash family farmed in the same western valleys. Generations grew up learning feed rations, calving seasons, and the rhythm of three daily milkings.

The herd eventually reached 1,200 cows. That is a serious operation, and it required serious water, land, and steady milk prices to keep running smoothly.

Knowing this backstory changes how the ice cream tastes. Each scoop carries almost a century of accumulated know-how about milk quality and butterfat.

Most creameries buy their dairy base from a distributor somewhere far away. Here, the family raises the animals, grows much of the feed, and controls the whole chain.

Fourth-generation farmer Cody Nash carries that thread forward today. He grew up inside the business, not studying it from a distance.

Guests rarely expect a dessert stop to come with such deep roots. Yet the history is part of what makes the flavors feel honest and unhurried.

The Cross-Country Move That Changed Everything

By 2014, the numbers stopped working out west. Water grew scarce and milk prices slid downward at the same time.

Rather than fold, the family made a bold call. They decided to move the entire operation across the country.

Picture the logistics for a moment. Cows, equipment, employees, and families all headed east toward a completely new region.

They purchased a 500-acre farm in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, a quiet stretch of countryside south of Nashville. Rain fell more reliably there, and pasture came cheaper.

Relocating a dairy is not like moving a shop. Barns must be built, milking parlors installed, and herds settled before a single gallon ships out.

The employees who came along deserve mention too. Uprooting a workforce shows how tightly this operation functions as one unit.

Today the farm sits along Highway 41A, between the small communities of Unionville, Rover, and Eagleville. Drive that road and you understand why they chose it.

Gentle hills, hay fields, and grazing cattle stretch in every direction. The scenery alone makes the trip worthwhile before dessert even enters the picture.

That 2014 gamble is the reason this creamery exists at all. A hard decision turned into something the whole area now enjoys.

Opening Day Arrived In 2020

Launching a retail creamery in 2020 took nerve. Cody Nash did it anyway, opening the doors that year.

The idea was simple and direct. Sell the family’s dairy straight to the people who eat it.

Selling milk wholesale means your product disappears into a tanker truck. Selling ice cream means you get to see the reaction on someone’s face.

That shift from commodity to connection reshaped the farm’s future. Suddenly the herd had a storefront.

The building looks the part, styled like a handsome barn with cattle-themed touches inside. Indoor tables, covered patio seating, and shaded picnic areas spread across the property.

A winter expansion added even more seating, which tells you how quickly demand grew. The parking lot regularly fills, despite the rural address.

Nash Family Creamery sits roughly thirty minutes from Murfreesboro and Franklin. Nashville drivers should budget about an hour each way.

Hours run Wednesday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, with 9 PM closings on Friday and Saturday. Sunday wraps up at 7 PM, and Monday is closed.

Plan accordingly and the drive rewards you. Few farm businesses this young have earned such a loyal following so fast.

With More Than 100 Flavors, Choosing Just One Is The Hard Part

Over 100 flavors have come out of this kitchen since 2020. That is a remarkable number for a small farm operation in Tennessee.

Not all appear at once, of course. Around twenty artisan flavors fill the case at any given time.

Premium Homemade Vanilla anchors the lineup and does not taste plain in the slightest. Chocolate Brownie Batter sits nearby for anyone who wants richness turned up.

Southern Pecan Pie leans into regional tradition. Cotton Candy Crush swings the other direction entirely, bright and playful.

Butter pecan draws steady attention, as does banana pudding. Midnight Chocolate Chip and Orange Pineapple Italian Ice round out the more adventurous picks.

The rotating format rewards repeat trips. Something new almost always waits behind the glass.

Portions run generous. A single scoop in a waffle cone runs around six dollars and satisfies most appetites completely.

Milkshakes deserve their own paragraph. Staff will often build them from whichever scoops you choose, including mixed combinations.

The texture stands out most. Milk from cows milked hours earlier produces a creamy, clean finish that mass-produced pints simply cannot copy.

Sampling is part of the fun here. Ask about a flavor before committing, then commit fully.

Nash Cheese Company Joined In 2021

Ice cream was only the first act. In 2021, the family launched Nash Cheese Company.

Same herd, same fresh milk, different destination. Cheesemaking uses far more milk per pound of product, which suits a working dairy nicely.

Sharp White Cheddar leads the selection with a firm, tangy bite. Jalapeño Cheese Curds bring heat and that satisfying squeak good curds are known for.

Curds are best eaten fresh, which gives an on-farm cheese shop a genuine advantage. Distance from the vat matters more than most shoppers realize.

Buying cheese here makes a smart souvenir. It travels better than a cone and lasts long enough to share at home.

The farm store also carries fresh baked goods and farm-raised meats. A single stop can cover dessert, dinner, and the cheese board.

Cheddar pairs beautifully with the grilled sandwiches served on-site. Order both and you get a proper taste of the operation.

Bring a cooler if your drive home is long. Summer afternoons in this part of the state are not kind to dairy.

Few creameries diversify this thoughtfully. The cheese line proves the family thinks in decades, not seasons.

The Cafe Menu Gives You Plenty To Try Before Dessert

Grilled cheese may be the sleeper hit of the entire property. Made with the farm’s own cheese, it earns every bit of its reputation.

The cafe operates right on site, cooking to order. Nobody has to choose between lunch and dessert.

The Piggy Mac deserves a spotlight. Pulled pork and macaroni and cheese share one sandwich, which sounds excessive and works perfectly.

A buffalo chicken melt appears on the grill menu too. Sandwich options shift with the seasons, so autumn brings choices like turkey and cranberry.

Sides hold their own. White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is the obvious pick, though baked potato salad has its devoted fans.

Freshly baked goods fill out the counter. Cookies and pastries pair nicely with coffee if ice cream feels too cold.

Speaking of coffee, the owner’s daughter opened a small coffee shop in a mini barn across the parking lot. The drinks there are genuinely good.

Prices land in fair territory for the portions served. A sandwich and a shake together run around seventeen dollars.

Eating a full meal at a creamery feels indulgent. Here it just feels sensible.

Farm Tours Let You Meet The Cows

Where does the milk actually come from? Guests can find out firsthand on seasonal educational farm tours.

The route covers the housing barn and the milking process. Seeing the parlor in action explains a lot about dairy quality.

Calves steal the show every time. Meeting the young animals gives kids a memory that outlasts the sugar rush.

School groups make good use of these tours. Kindergarten classes learn where dairy begins, then finish with a scoop.

Tours run seasonally, so calling ahead is wise. The phone number is 931-294-2999, and the farm sits at 4019 US-41A N, Chapel Hill, TN 37034.

Wear shoes you do not mind getting dusty. Working farms are working farms, gravel and all.

Autumn adds extra attractions to the property. Corn mazes and sunflower fields have appeared in past seasons.

A large playground and cornhole area keep younger guests busy year-round. Note that the play area is unshaded and reached by a gravel path, which matters for strollers.

Tours turn a quick treat into an afternoon. Understanding the process makes the dessert taste even better.

Standards That Keep The Herd Thriving

Good ice cream starts long before the mixing vat. It starts with how the cows live.

Here, the herd is milked three times daily rather than twice. That schedule keeps the animals comfortable and the milk consistently fresh.

The cows rest in roomy barns designed for shade and airflow. Comfort is not sentimentality, it is practical dairy management.

Feed quality gets close attention as well. Much of it is grown right on the 500-acre property.

Growing your own feed means knowing exactly what the animals eat. That control shows up in the flavor of the finished product.

Nash Family Creamery has picked up recognition for its ice cream, including honors at the state fair for flavors such as vanilla and butter pecan. Simple flavors are the hardest to perfect.

The property itself is clean and well kept, from the seating areas to the display cases. Staff are young, polite, and clearly trained well.

Nearly a century after Wallace and Ida started milking, the fourth generation is still at it. The location changed, the standards did not.

That continuity is the real story behind Nash Family Creamery. Drive out on Highway 41A and taste it yourself.