Ellington

Upon first hearing of Jimmy Godby's latest endeavor, many people cock their heads in confusion, shock or even awe. An electrician of 33 years, Godby, 51, has decided to become a dairy farmer—a camel dairy farmer, that is.

Godby married his wife, Tonia Godby, in 2006 many years after they met at Brandon High School. "We bumped into each other at a restaurant and got back together after 25 years," he says, adding that the two instantly picked up where they left off. His wife, formerly Tonia Blough, grew up on Hilltop Painted Acres, her family's farm in Brandon. The farm was renowned for haunted hayrides, foreign animals and livestock. Tonia grew up helping raise them. As for Godby, he had only raised dogs before his plunge into camel rearing.

The idea of raising camels took root in early 2011 when Tonia's mother, who was curating the nativity scene for Brandon Baptist Church's Christmas play at the time, thought a real, live camel might just bring the act new life. After discussing the prospects of renting a camel, Godby and his wife thought it might be more fun to just buy one.

So, in June 2011, they drove west to Mount Pleasant, Texas, to pick up their first baby camel, a 5-week-old they named Frank. The two loaded him into their Toyota minivan, into which he barely fit. Now, at 4 years old, Frank towers over people and horses alike and makes appearances at events such as Fondren's First Thursday and Christmas shows all over the state. In 2013, Frank led the Mal's St. Paddy's Parade, trading kisses for donations to Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital.

"He doesn't know strangers because he was out in public as soon as we got him," Godby says. "At 5 weeks, he was separated from other camels completely. He didn't see another camel until last September when we got four more camels."

The Godbys acquired the additional camels with the intent of beginning their dairy farm, Frank and Friends. Three of those camels have now given birth to calves, one of which is tentatively called Buddy Ray, who was just born to Sally on June 8. That's also Godby's birthday. Frank and Friends is situated in the rolling countryside off Highway 80 between Morton and Pelahatchie.

As the first camel dairy farm in this part of the United States, Godby says: "There is not protocol in place for a camel dairy. We are having to help (the FDA and the health department) write all of these rules and regulations."

Camel's milk is a rich source of protein and is thought to have antimicrobial and nutritional benefits along with an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

If all goes as planned, expect to find the Frank and Friends camel milk at local farmers markets, Whole Foods Market and Rainbow Natural Grocery Co-op come July.