In
the early 1900s, Frank and Agnes Gustafson lived on Walnut
Street in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Affectionately known
as "Mama" and "Papa," they had six children
and a dairy cow in their back yard by the name of "Buttercup."
Buttercup provided milk for the family as well as nearby neighbors.
Ma Gustafson began churning butter in the shed behind the
house, which she also shared with neighbors. It wasn't long
before she was also supplying milk products for some of the
city's grand hotels, so more cows were added and The Gustafson
Dairy Farm was founded in 1908.
The
Gustafson cows were friendly in nature and took to wandering
the streets of Green Cove Springs to visit the neighbors and
enjoy the Florida sunshine. City Officials politely asked
the Gustafsons to move somewhere more conducive to frequent
mooing and random piles of cow poop. In 1925, the Gustafson's
relocated to 9,600 acres off of State Rd. 15-A, where they
operated until Southeast Milk bought the dairy in 2004. It
eventually closed in 2013.
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