Farming has been a way of life for the Francis family for four generations and the younger generation hopes to carry on the family farm legacy. Charles Francis began a small dairy operation in the late 1920s, and his son Wade continued to farm the land until his retirement. At that time, Wade turned the farm over to his son Dennis. Dennis had worked all his life on the farm and had two sons that were very interested in farming. They began to increase their beef cattle operation and improve the farm. The business of farming faces a lot of challenges like adverse weather conditions, fluctuating market prices and high input costs. However, if farming is your passion, the rewards of taking care of a farm and raising cattle are worth it all. Blake is the fourth generation on the Francis Farm and is the herdsman for the cattle operation.

The Francis family has partnered with Suncrest Meats to market their beef. All the beef sold is completely natural with no added hormones or antibiotics. The Francis cattle are bred, born and raised in Haywood County, North Carolina. They are grazed on mountain pastures with very minimal transportation which results in less stress for the cattle. Also, Suncrest Meats is environmentally friendly with very little carbon footprint. With the partnership with Suncrest Meats, Blake plans to sustainably build a better future for his two sons and continue the family farm legacy.