In its first venture at the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Farmer’s Market at the Rutherford County Courthouse June 6, the MTSU Creamery completely sold out of milk.

And alumnus Jonathan Harmon of Murfreesboro may know why.

“This is my favorite. … There’s nothing like it on the planet,” the MTSU National Alumni Association board member said.

He’d just purchased a half-gallon of chocolate milk to take to Cookeville, Tennessee, and two pints of chocolate and one pint of whole white milk for friends Elicia, McCoy and Judson Fortner to drink on the spot.

Cutsomers at the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Farmer’s Market line up to purchase milk from the MTSU Creamery Saturday, June 6. MTSU sold out of milk in less than three hours in its first time to participate in the market, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday until Sept. 26. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

The Creamery will participate all summer at the market, which will operate from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Sept. 26. It joins about 50 vendors altogether selling fruits and vegetables, flowers, meat, bread, jams, jellies, honey and other items.

Gracie Hobbs of Murfreesboro, an MTSU alumna who graduated in December 2019 with an animal science degree, carried two half-gallons and three pints of chocolate milk away from the Creamery crew’s sales table.

“I get it for my friends,” said Hobbs, adding that she gives the milk “a 10 out of 10. I like the fact they add Jersey (cattle’s) milk. That’s what makes it so creamy.” She also noted the perfect add-ins of cocoa, sugar, salt and vanilla.

A steady stream of customers remained at the southeast corner of the Public Square most of the morning. The Creamery sold out the day’s stock around 10:30 a.m.

MTSU National Alumni Association Board member Jonathan Harmon of Murfreesboro buys the university’s popular chocolate and whole white milk at the MTSU Creamery vendor’s table Saturday, June 6, at the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Farmer’s Market outside the Rutherford County Courthouse. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Matthew Wade, director of the MTSU Farm Laboratories, said the Creamery sold 400 pints of chocolate milk, 141 half-gallons of chocolate milk, 40 gallons of whole white milk and 61 pints of whole white milk.

Student worker Scott Ayers, a junior majoring in supply team management in the Jones College of Business, learned firsthand the importance of supplying for demand, twice returning to campus for supplies. One trip was for whole white milk; a short time later, he went back for more of the extremely popular chocolate milk.

“I told him to get whatever we had left,” Wade said. “This was incredibly successful. We had to run back twice to get more milk.”

MTSU senior recording industry major Matt Benson and his wife, Heather, each bought two pints of chocolate milk. He’s had the treat many times, while the farmer’s market trip was her first taste of the chocolate.

“That’s pretty good. It’s very creamy,” Heather Benson said.

School of Agriculture Director Jessica Carter and College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer stopped by to lend a hand at the Creamery table. Fisher calls it “the best chocolate milk in the country.”

The Creamery operations, which started in 2017, combine the work of the MTSU School of Agriculture’s dairy at the farm in Lascassas, Tennessee, and the milk processing plant in the Stark Agriculture Center on campus.

—Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Customers at the first Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Farmer’s Market of summer 2020 wait to buy MTSU chocolate and whole white milk at the MTSU Creamery sales table outside the Rutherford County Courthouse Saturday, June 6. The market will run every Saturday morning through Sept. 26. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

MTSU Farm Laboratories Director Matthew Wade opens the Creamery refrigerated truck to bring out more chilled milk for a customer Saturday, June 6, at the Main Street Murfreesboro Saturday Farmer’s Market outside the Rutherford County Courthouse. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)