Want fresh, Texas grown, raised, and processed produce, meats, and other products to sustain you and your family? Check out Ole’ McDonald’s Farm in Fairfield.
Currently located at 589 E. Commerce Street since April of 2022, the business has plans to relocate by the end of May to the old Vestal/Fairpark building at the corner of Hwy 84 and Oak Street in Fairfield.
Providing repairs are completed in time, the business will be moved into the building before Fair & Rodeo week. There will be a grand opening to announce and celebrate the move. Tag’s Table and Rachels’s Treasures will be joining at the new location.
Ole’ McDonald’s Farm owner Kelly McDonald (at top) spoke with the ‘Times’ about the business, how it’s grown, and what the future holds.
Originally from Kansas, Kelly moved to Texas in 1986 from Wyoming due to searching for work in the oilfield business.
In 2018, after retiring and because he and wife Juanita had family in the Richland Chambers area, they chose to move to Fairfield from Weatherford to be closer to them, as well as to find a more country-style setting with acreage to retire to.
Once in the area, Kelly realized that there was a great need for more natural foods and decided to open up shop to offer those things.
Kelly learned the trade from a friend in the Dallas area and thought it would be a great retirement plan. “It’s not too physically demanding, and I’ll be able to do it for a while,” he explains. “I also wanted to get back to my roots. I grew up on a farm where my family was self-sufficient, processing our own meats, growing our own vegetables, etc., all the natural way.”
He started with just produce and has since learned what his customers were looking for and has grown his inventory to accommodate those needs.
Kelly is very excited to talk to customers about the full-circle process that brings us great, nutritious foods that starts with the soil, then the vegetables (or the animals that eat the vegetables), then we eat them and it’s the natural process as it was intended.
He carries products from each step of the process and is very knowledgeable.
Some of the products carried in store include:
–Fresh Produce: Acquired weekly at the Dallas Farmers Market
–Micro Greens: Herbganics in Buffalo
–Raw Milk Products (milk, cheeses, yogurt): Full Quiver Farms in Kemp
–Honey, Pecans, Pecan Oil: JBees Honey & Green Tree Pecan Company in Powell
–Freeze Dried Fruits: Ole’ McDonald’s Farm
–Wagyu Beef Products: Wood George Ranch in Dew
–Sugar Creek Fertilizer: Andrew George of Wood George Ranch in Dew
–Eggs: Locally sourced from 3 different providers in the Freestone Co. Area
–Whole, Free-Range Chicken: Tommy Cockerell in Fairfield
–Processed Chicken: Mellow Meadows Farm in Powell
–Pork Sausage: JD’s Processing in Huntsville
–Homemade Dog Treats: Rayne-Beau in Fairfield
–Organic Sea Moss: Ascension Organics in Fairfield
–CBD Gummies & Cream: Mark Dane in Dew
–Homemade Pickles: Jenny Lafond in Buffalo
–Honey Wheat Bread (milled fresh in store with organic wheat from Azure Standard): Ole’ McDonald’s Farm
–More products added on a regular basis
This reporter has tried the blueberries, raspberries, black berries, green beans, feta cheese, and cheddar cheese…so far. The taste is amazing.
A lot of times these products when purchased at a regular grocery store can be bland in flavor. At Ole’ McDonald’s Farm, the berries are large and very sweet and flavorful. The cheese, especially the feta, is spectacular. I can’t wait to try more!
Currently, the Hours of Operation are Wednesdays from 1:00-6:00 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Once moved to the new location, hours will be Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Kelly may be contacted via TEXT at 817-614-6772 or on his Facebook page: Ole McDonald’s Farm.
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Now, how would you like to taste the flavors of the fresh meats, dairy, and produce found in Ole’ McDonald’s Farm without having to prepare it yourself?
Well, Tag’s Table has got you covered!
Owners Damien and Adrianna Taglione (right)provide fresh, hot meals made with the best local ingredients. They know where all the ingredients come from and how they are cared for. The taste reflects those great ingredients.
“We want to support the small guys,” says Damien. “We think it’s important to know where your food comes from. It’s important to know the farmers and ranchers and to feed people the food you want to eat yourself. We take pride in providing our customers with something nutritious and absolutely delicious by using the best ingredients we can find.”
Two tasty meals this reporter has tried so far are the Smoked Wagyu Beef Meatloaf with grilled vegetables and the Smoked Wagyu Beef Meatballs with spaghetti, salad, and garlic toast. Also, the Texas Lime Pie is super tasty. Let me tell you, you can literally taste the difference with the fresh products versus a lot of the overly processed foods you find at other locations.
Other items they provide are pickled vegetables, desserts, drinks, and packaged foods to take home with you.
The couple moved to Dew, Texas after living in Mexico for a year and in Orlando, Florida prior to that. They were attracted to Texas because they wanted to have room for animals and land, especially chickens.
Prior to moving to the area, Adrianna served in the Airforce for 10 years before retiring. She has traveled the world twice, lived in several different countries, and has experienced all walks of life as Air Medical Evacuation. During her travels, she experiences foods from across the world.
As for Damien, before transitioning into cooking and serving food full-time, he was a trainer for the top golfers of the world. “Expressing the importance of nutrition was a daily discussion with my athletes,” he says. “Over time, my passion for cooking and talking about food overtook training athletes and the fitness world.”
Currently, their hours of operation are (weather permitting) Wednesday-Friday from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. These hours will be extended once they are in the new location.
Once settled in the new building, they plan to add to their menu. Some of the items will be coffees, grab-and-go items for the schools, cold drinks, and ice cream for hot summers.
“We have been overwhelmed with support so far,” says Adrianna. “The people in Fairfield and surrounding areas have been amazing! We can’t wait for the expansion into the new location with all the opportunities that come along with it.”
“We also want to thank Kelly for giving us the opportunity to work with him,” explains Damien. “He has been our go to guy for vegetables, proteins, and dairy. We get all our products for our restaurant and for home from his store.”
You can keep up with Tag’s Table by following them on Facebook. If you would like to contact them, you may do so by calling 407-765-3780 or by emailing damientaglionemxo@gmail.com.
Photography and reporting by Nicole Schaefer.
