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Tara S. Gree, Clerk of Court and Comptroller of Clay County, FL
Clerk of Court and Comptroller of Clay County, FL Clerk of Court and Comptroller of Clay County, FL
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Gustafson Dairy

Gustafson diary

The Gustafson Dairy operation is a great example of the dairy industry in Florida and our nation in the 1900’s. Mama and Papa Gus started the dairy shortly after 1900. The Village Improvement Association (VIA) didn’t approve, understandably, of cows roaming the streets so their group and the Town Council nudged the Gustafson herd out of town.

The Archives maintains a Subject File on the dairy and a transcription of dozens of family letters back and forth to their relatives in Chicago in the 1930’s.  The old Gustafson Family house remains, just as it was, on Walnut Street in Green Cove Springs.

Dairy Farms

Clay County was home to several large dairies, the most important of those being the Gustafson’s Dairy, based in Green Cove Springs, as noted above.

The family sold the 3,267-acre dairy and processing plant to Belleview, Florida-based Southeast Milk after putting it up for sale in 2013. Then Southeast Milk closed the plant in Green Cove Springs. See news article at Jacksonville.com.

The Bordenville Dairy Farm (owned originally by the Borden Family of condensed milk fame) was located near the Camphor Farm (Camp Blanding) (Parade of Memories, pg 211).

The last dairy in Clay County, Sandridge Dairy LLP, owned by Sue and Jerry Campbell, ended operation in 2017. At its peak, the dairy owned 700 cows.  See related news article at www.ClayTodayOnline.com.  

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