If you have not noticed the bottles around, Vollemans milk is in town and is waiting for you. These shiny glass bottles do not easily go unseen, especially with the wonderfully colored milk that fills the jar to the top. This company has only been bottling for roughly two years, but even with such a short amount of time, they have had a wide impact on Stephenville, Texas and the people that reside here. 

Shelby Volleman, the marketing director of Volleman’s Family Farm, is very proud of their story and holds pride in what the Volleman family has accomplished. 

“Our family has been dairying for over 100 years in Europe. Around 1993, Frank and Annette Volleman decided to move their small family to Texas to start their own farm and have room for their growing family. They started their dairy farm that year in Gustine, Texas, and have been farming there ever since. We knew we wanted to bring a product to the local Texas customers and came across glass bottle milk in our research. Our family is very focused on sustainability in our farming practices and this product was the perfect fit as it aligned with our values. In 2020, we started our creamery just down the road from our farm and began bottling our own milk!” 

Their milk is currently only sold in “mom and pop” places, but they are soon planning on branching out to bigger sources such as HEB. A few of the places you can find this bottled milk is at Lilly’s Food, LittleJohn Produce, The Red Umbrella Bakery, and Baby Clay’s Meat Market. Although it is not being sold everywhere, the Volleman family strives to provide the best milk for their customers. 

“I believe our product is unique because of a few different reasons. Not many grocery store products can say that they are truly family owned and operated. Each member of our family plays a role in our company, which means we are all very dedicated to ensuring the products we produce are the highest quality. With our product coming straight from our family farm just a few minutes from our creamery, the time it takes to go from cow to bottle is only a day maximum, which means it is as fresh as you can find on the shelf. Finally, since our milk comes in glass bottles, it helps preserve the great taste of the milk and helps keep the milk nice and colder, which provides a richer/creamier product,” Volleman stated.

While all of this sounds amazing, many people question whether the animals are being treated correctly. No matter what farm or business, this inquiry is always at hand.

“As most farmers are, we are dedicated to the health and well-being of our cows. From their bed in our cool, misty barn, to the feed they are given for each meal, we have thought through every detail to ensure they are getting the best care possible and are happy and healthy. For anyone curious about our family farm and creamery, we host once a month tours where they can see first hand where their milk comes from: vollemansdairy.com/dairy-tours/,” Volleman stated. 

Volleman’s Family Farm holds their values close to heart- family farm, high quality milk, traceability, local, environmental, and animal welfare. With their 14 milk options and multiple opportunities for community members to see where their product comes from, they are a family to all, not just one another. 

“I love everything we stand for at Vollemans. When I say “family-owned”, “local”, “farm fresh”, or “sustainable”. I am not just saying that for show – we truly are everything I describe, and we place those values very highly in our products. It is so fun being able to show that to everyone that comes to our farm and creamery. We are very transparent and want to allow our customers the ability to see where their milk comes from and ask us any questions they may have. I believe folks love truly seeing how much time and thought we put into our cows’ well-being and our products. Happy cows, happy life, right?” Volleman concluded.