Video: Fulton Man Turns A Corn Mill Hobby Into A Business

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FULTON, Miss. (WCBI) — Years ago, grist mills also known as corn mills, in many towns provided fresh ground corn for families. Mills may be the thing of the past but one Fulton man is using his love for grist mill machinery to reintroduce fresh corn mill in North Mississippi households. Fulton resident, James Holcomb spends his days grinding corn into pounds of fresh corn mill. His interest first began when he was looking for a new hobby.

“I was retired and I got bored and I was looking for something to do. Found my first mill in Maggieville, North Carolina. Brought it back and went to grinding corn,” says James Holcomb.

With just a few months of hard work, Holcomb was able to turn an old unwanted grist mill from this, into this. Now, Holcomb says customers are placing orders from all over to get a five pound bag of fresh corn mill for only $3.75.

“I stay in business year around. I have a walk in cooler back in the back there that holds 2,000 pounds of mill and in the summer time, I feel that up and turn that cooler on and I can keep mill in the summertime,” says Holcomb.

Holcomb believes it’s the idea of fresh corn mill that interest buyers, but says it’s mostly in the quality of the taste.

“I had a lady at Belmont that bought my mill and she had a 12 year old son and she ran out. She went to the grocery store and got a bag of mill and that night for supper she cooked cornbread. The little boy looked at her and said momma what’s wrong with the cornbread? You’ve been back to the grocery store. He could taste the difference,” says Holcomb.

Six years later and the corn grinding business has served more than a busy hobby. Holcomb says he is grateful his hobby involves others.

“It’s good and people enjoying it. When I started this I never did think that it would come to the time that i’d sale and grind 20,000 pounds of corn mill a year but I am,” says Holcomb.

So the next time you cook a pan of cornbread with Holcomb’s fresh ground corn mill, you’ll remember how one man’s hobby became a part of your dining experience.

The grist mill Holcomb uses was first built in 1939.