In 1941, Thomas E. Stanley, Sr. ("Tom") bought a farm from his widowed aunt, Effie Stanley Gilman.  The farm was 540 acres just outside of Ashland, Virginia.  It was the home of Gilman Dairy, which Aunt Efffie's husband had operated with a neighbor.  Tom, along with his wife, Lucy, raised a family of four on the farm.  The farm was incorporated in 1969 as Thomas E. Stanley & Sons, Inc. when the two oldest children, Thomas E., Jr. ("Tommy") and William ("Bootsie") joined the operation.  Later, the other children joined as well.  Tom was an active leader in the community.  Over the years, he served as a deacon in his church, a member of Independence Ruritan Club, on many boards of various agricultural organizations and served on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors.  He lived a long life of 90 years and was highly respected in the community.  He created a legacy of farming and instilled a devotion to agriculture in much of his family. 

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Over the years, Tommy managed daily dairy operations.  He was well-known in the ag community.  Upon his sudden death in 2001, Bootsie stepped in to manage the dairy.  His willingness to fill the role of dairyman was integral to the continuity of the dairy.  

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Today, Tom's sons and many grandsons steward the same land that he purchased long ago.  They take great care to respect the land and animals under their care.  In 2013, the farm was divided among the two surviving sons (and their sons); one side of the road focusing on crop farming and the other on dairy production.  Tom's grandson, Joel Stanley, operates the dairy today alongside Bootsie, making him the fourth generation of the family's dairymen.  After years of watching his father's dedication to the cows, Joel's desire to manage the dairy was strengthened.  It is not uncommon to find Joel's daughter, Grace, fifth generation, feeding calves or helping with other tasks on the farm.  

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Joel and his wife, Missy, have long dreamed of bottling their own milk and selling ice cream on the farm.  They have planned vacations around visiting ice cream shops and consider ice cream their favorite treat.  In 2018, they began visiting on-farm creameries and looking to the future.  After much research and years of planning, Farmview Creamery was born.  The first phase of their dream included renovating the historically used milkhouse, where Tom would have stored cans of milk in standing cold water many decades ago.  In July  2023, Farmview Creamery began producing ice cream in this building and sells from a mobile food trailer in the Ashland area.  Their vision is to sustain the dairy farm for future generations, so it can continue to be a source of wholesome food.

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Farmview Creamery's Mission:

Share our passion for agriculture while creating a memorable space for our community to enjoy delicious dairy products 

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Meet the Farmview Family

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