New owners make business a family affair

By Jeremy Holtzapfel

The Ironton Tribune

Durbin Farm has been producing and processing sorghum for 26 years in Catlettsburg. Just off U.S Route 23, some 17 miles south of Ashland, you’ll find a small building on the side of the road with the word ‘Sorghum’ scrawled on the south side. It houses both a kitschy storefront and an open-air area for processing and canning the sweet crop.

Owner Paula Thompson has her hands full in her first year of ownership,between working as a nurse and ensuring that this year’s sorghum crop gets processed in time. It’s not easy work, but the former owner, Jim Ross, is still on hand almost every day to help. Ross isn’t the only one helping, though. It’s a family affair with Thompson’s daughters, Taylor and Belle, daughter-in-law, Kayla and their respective children all helping with the business.

If you’re wondering what exactly sorghum is, you may be mistaken in comparing it to honey. While it does share many similarities like its sweetness and lack of an expiration date due to low water content, its flavor profile is something totally different. While it’s sweet, it also has a satisfying bite. It goes well on a piece of toast, biscuit or just a quick spoonful. Durbin Farm’s sorghum is 100 percent all natural.

Sorghum isn’t the only thing you’ll find in the Durbin storefront, though. There’s a wide assortment of interesting canned foodstuffs like sorghum apple salsa and pear honey, but also classic staples like apple butter and jellies. Regardless of what you’re looking for at Durbin Farm, you’ll be greeted warmly and go home with something delicious.

Durbin Farm is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of October. Directions: drive south from Ashland on U.S. Route 23 for 7.6 miles then turn right onto KY-752 and after 1.5 miles turn right onto Durbin Farm Road. After a mile on Durbin Farm Road, the farm is on the right. For more information, you can find them on Facebook at Durbin Farm Sorghum or call 606-922-0244.