Chamber Member of the Week: Hill View Farms
Hill View Farms has been in the Gilles family for five generations, dating back to the late 1800s. The farm has evolved drastically over the last century, dipping into agribusiness and meat sales in recent years.
After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Jim Gilles returned to the farm and entered the family into retail meats. Having sold sides and quarters of beef for several years, the farm recognized the need for quality retail cuts of meat and jumped on it.
“We started selling retail cuts similar to a grocery store,” Gilles said. “We developed a label and became a USDA processor in 2013, and opened a storefront in 2016.”
Located at 5024 Lee Rudy Road in Owensboro, the farm and storefront offer its own beef and chicken and sources pork from a neighboring farm. The store also features a wide array of milk, cheeses, jams, jellies, and more.
Hill View is also a mainstay at the Owensboro Regional Farmers Market, offering the same level and quality as the storefront. The market operates on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. through the end of September.
Gilles said the farm’s location on the Ohio River in Owensboro and Daviess County perfectly suits the farming community. He attributes their longstanding success to the constant support of the area and the farming community.
“It’s a cool feeling for our farm to have been around for this long,” he said. “Someone in the family has always been interested in keeping the operation going, and that’s pretty neat. Farming has evolved significantly over the last 100 years, especially in the past 10 to 15. A lot has changed with technology.”
Niko’s Bakery, The Cottage, and Sassafras all feature Hill View cuts of meat in the restaurants. Gilles and his team take pride in being local in every sense of the word.
“As we’ve grown, the community has always been there to help us out,” Gilles said. “We love to give back, and we think it’s important to help the community that helps us. We like sponsoring and supporting different initiatives, working with local businesses, and working together to support one another.”
Hill View also offers large and custom orders, always striving to accommodate any request.
To shop the farm or for more information about Hill View Farms, visit hillviewfarmsmeats.com.
By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times