Who We Are

A Bedford County native and lifelong farmer in the Thompson Creek area, Phil served in the U.S. Navy before graduating from Tennessee Tech with a degree in agriculture. He worked as a field representative for Carnation Milk Co., Bedford Cheese Co., and Purina Feed Co., traveling throughout Middle Tennessee and sharing his agricultural expertise with countless farmers.

Phil was a member of Normandy Presbyterian Church, the Normandy Masonic Lodge, and The American Legion. He purchased the Aunt Bet Farm from his uncle Oscar Ayers in 1960s, consolidating the family’s holdings along the Duck River. His dedication to both traditional farming values and modern agricultural science shaped Sam’s approach to farm management.

Sue met Phil while both were working in the cafeteria at Tennessee Tech, where she earned her degree in home economics while Phil studied agriculture. After marrying, she taught home economics for several years before they settled back in Normandy and she began teaching 7th grade science.

She continued teaching 7th grade science in Tullahoma until retirement, where she was kept intellectually sharp by her students—often the children of engineers and scientists working at the Arnold Engineering Complex at Arnold Air Force Base. Her passion for education and scientific thinking influenced both her children and grandchildren.

She was a beloved grandmother who balanced farm life with intellectual curiosity, always encouraging her family to ask questions and seek understanding.

Bobby grew up in Christiana, and after his father Clifford died when he was a teenager, he helped support his mother while still in high school. Following graduation, he joined the Navy and was stationed at Moffett Field in California during the Korean War, working as an airplane mechanic—skills he would later apply to farm equipment maintenance.

After the Navy, Bobby attended MTSU studying vocational education. After graduation he began teaching shop at Lake City (now Rocky Top) High School in East Tennessee while attending the University of Tennessee, working on a masters degree. He never did graduate from the University of Tennessee as he accepted a position as assistant director of the Tennessee Vocational Technical School in Shelbyville—the first of Tennessee’s new post-high school vocational schools.

Bobby eventually became director, overseeing significant expansion of both the school and its program offerings. He retired in the 1990s to Christiana, where he focused on the farm and his beloved cattle, with woodworking as a cherished hobby. His commitment to vocational education influenced multiple family members to pursue teaching careers.

Bernice grew up in Santa Fe, Tennessee, one of eight children raised in poverty in rural Tennessee. She remembered winter mornings waking under layers of quilts with snow on top—a testament to the hardship and resilience that shaped her character.

After marrying Bobby and settling in Middle Tennessee, Bernice worked in the payroll department at Eaton in Shelbyville. She often reminisced fondly that “the guys on the factory floors always liked the payroll ladies because they paid them!” Her practical wisdom and strong work ethic were legendary in the family.

After retiring in the 1990s to help Bobby with farm operations, Bernice took over complete management of the farm following his death in 2005. Well into her 80s, she checked cattle and carried buckets of feed daily, refusing to slow down until shortly before her death in 2015. Her determination and independence remain an inspiration to her grandsons Holden and Scott.

Tom was the eldest son of Phil and Sue Ayers, and would have inherited the Aunt Bet Farm, a place to which he felt a strong connection. His tragic death at just 47 years old was deeply felt by both the Ayers and Holden families—made even more poignant by the fact that he was married to Cindy’s sister Kim, creating an intertwined family bond where two sisters married two brothers.

Though his time was cut short, Uncle Tom’s love for the land and dedication to family legacy inspired the eventual consolidation of the three properties under Stone Duck Farms.