Cows, Cuddles & Country Charm

Nestled in the cusp of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Lafayette, Georgia, lies a 22-acre farm aptly called Blessing Creek Farms (more on that later), and it’s where Jonathan and Starlett (Starr) Scott, their two children and their menagerie of cows, pigs, goats and one miniature donkey call home.

No strangers to farming, it was here that the Scotts started raising Scottish Highland cows for their own food rations because, as Jonathan Scott said, “you just don’t know what you’re getting at the store.” The Scotts have lived here since 2017, and since then, it has blossomed into a family-owned business, with Bonnie, their beloved cow as the star of the show.

Now almost three-years-old, Bonnie was the original inspiration for what has become a local (and national) sensation thanks to TikTok and other social media platforms.

The Birth of a Business

To understand what their business has become (and where the Scotts intend to go), we have to return to the family origin story, with Bonnie at the center of it all.

While both Scotts still work full-time, she at Blue Cross Blue Shield and he at Coca Cola, the idea to have a farm became Starlett’s way of giving back to the community, honoring their faith and blessings (thus the name) with the ultimate goal of getting people to slow down.

“We have our jobs, but we were watching people on their phones, watching families on their phones,” said Jonathan. “We were feeling like people were losing touch and the world was moving too fast.”

At the heart of it, the Scotts wanted to promote the therapeutic and relaxing properties of being around animals.

“We wanted to create an environment where everything slows down. If I could have a pay phone on my front porch to get people off their phones, I would,” said Jonathan.

That pivotal moment was when the family decided to open their home and farm to the public, offering others a unique opportunity to connect with these gentle giants, featuring Bonnie, who was born and raised at the farm.

Bonnie: The Star of Social Media

Bonnie made her debut on social media and, almost overnight, the post went viral, gaining over 1.6 million views. She immediately became a darling with animal lovers around the world.

It was then that the Scotts decided to have “Hug a Cow” day and opened their home (and farm) to guests one weekend. To their surprise, about 1,200 people showed up with another 2,000 additional cars that had to be turned away with the help of local law enforcement.

For her part, Bonnie was filmed with some of her favorite fans and promptly garnered more than 5 million views when the post went viral — again.

Expanding Experience at Blessing Creek Farms

This year marks the second year that Blessing Creek Farms has offered this experience to the public (which is very much family-friendly) and has now morphed into something much bigger. Currently the Scotts offer birthday parties, picnics with a cow, cuddle therapy with goats and bunnies, and more.

For their part, the Scotts remain thankful and blessed for Bonnie and the path she’s led them to. Her presence has brought purpose and joy to their lives, leading them to create a space where they can share their love for farming and animals with the community. Their acreage continues to grow (they’ll soon be moving to a larger property), and they are excited to see where Bonnie’s legacy will take them in the future.

A Legacy of Love and Connection

It goes without saying that the Scotts have come a long way from where they originally started, all thanks to Bonnie and “God and Google,” according to Jonathan.

Should you decide that hugging a cow (or having a picnic with one) is something you need in your life or you happen to be in the area, you can find all you need to know at www.blessingcreekfarms.com.