From the early mornings before the first rays of dawn painted the Texas sky with my dad and his parents tending to the cows and gathering milk; to my mom, her parents and brother with their backs bent against the scorching Texas sun in the cotton fields 150 miles away; the threads of hard work, resilience and determination were sewn. The family farm and cotton fields serving as a classroom of sorts, instilling in them unity, grit and the value of a dollar.

After years of toiling and struggling on the dairy farm my dad's family would give up that dream and move to the town in which my mom and her family lived and run a laundry mat.

Some years later my parents would meet and in 1962, with $47 to their name, get married. Dad would go on to become a pipeliner, which was demanding work and required several moves over his 31-year career and mom’s love and commitment was the cornerstone of our family as she balanced the duties of the household and jobs as a realtor, bookkeeper and trophy maker. Though the dairy farm and cotton fields were replaced with new endeavors the values and principles they learned during those early years continued to shape their approach to life.

They would remain together until my dad’s passing in 2018 and her love and commitment to one man only ceased upon her passing in 2021.

My family carried the torch of hard work ignited by their parents and grandparents and passed those lessons down to my brother and I. Their guidance taught us the pursuit of excellence and the value of a hard days work were not separate ideals, but interconnected principles that forge a life of integrity. They bestowed upon us a precious gift – the understanding that success is not a mere stroke of luck, but rather a culmination of dedication, commitment and sacrifice.

The Rocking N was formed with the family brand as it’s foundation; God and Country at its core with its purpose to honor the legacy of their hard work, principles, morals and values both as a duty and a privilege; hoping to aid and support current dairy farmers and future dairy farmers for generations to come. The American farmer, rancher and bison’s way of life are an example of the things my family embodied and should be a beacon guiding us through the storms of life, reminding us to face adversity head-on and to find strength in every trial.

God Bless America and God Bless the American farmer and rancher.

Terry W Newnham

Founder of The Rocking N at Whiskey Springs, Inc.