MYAKKA CITY, Fla. (SNN) — A Suncoast staple, Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City is up for sale after 22 years.
As owner Jerry Dakin explained, that does not mean he is leaving the business anytime soon.
“I’m definitely not retiring, that’s not going to happen,” Jerry said.
Squashing any concerns, Jerry said he had no plans to let his farm turn into a new hotspot for development.
“You know, everybody’s talking like, ‘The next buyer could take it and develop it.’” Jerry said. “The person I’m looking to have is not thinking like that.”
He said when he first started, his vision was never as big as what the farm is now. It surpassed his initial goal of 1000 cows.
Dakin said he is ready for someone new to step in and take it to the next level.
“This decision I didn’t make overnight, I mean I’ve been looking at it for the past six months,” Dakin said. “And, at first it was tough, but when I can bring a new generation in, that’s pretty exciting.”
Dakin Dairy Farms is the only dairy farm in Florida open to the public for tours, and it is safe to say they have made their mark. Tour Manager Courtney Dakin said no one seemed ready to say goodbye.
“The response from the community was, at the beginning, almost panic,” Courtney said. “They don’t want it to be bought up by some developer to throw up a bunch of homes, to where you sneeze and your neighbor says ‘God bless you.’”
While she said it will be different, it will be a far cry from goodbye.
“It was like, ‘Oh my God, you guys are going away.’” Courtney said. “Well we’re not. Jerry’s still going to have 800 acres here, he’s still going to be involved in the community.”
They just have to find the right person who is also passionate about healthy, locally-sourced food, with the vision to take it to new heights, giving 55-year-old Jerry a chance to slow down.
“With the new technology out there, this thing could really be amazing,” Jerry said. “It’s going to take that younger generation to do it.”
As for when it will all take place, he said there is no rush.
“Yeah, there’s a timeline,” Jerry said. “It’s God’s timeline.”
The Dakin family has been milking cows in Manatee County since 1973, and their farm is one of the last remaining of 150 dairy farms in Florida.