Montana’s Food Freedom Act passage in 2021 provided crucial regulatory framework that enabled Darnielle to transition from hobby farmer to commercial raw milk producer, coinciding with her decision to lease ranch property, purchase a house, and quit her full-time employment to become a professional dairyman. Unlike many area ranches built through generational transfers, Crooked Creek Farms represents a complete startup operation developed by someone without traditional dairy farming background—Darnielle’s agricultural experience was limited to annual cattle branding at her aunt and uncle’s operation, while her childhood interests centered on horses and her mother’s German Shepherd breeding program.

The micro dairy operates at maximum capacity under Montana law, milking up to five cows while producing raw milk, raw cream, butter, and occasional yogurt alongside diversified livestock including pasture-raised poultry, free-range eggs, grass-raised grain-finished beef, 30 pigs annually, and small numbers of meat goats and lambs. Darnielle implements rigorous quality control protocols including yearly disease testing for each cow and milk quality checks every six months, while personally consuming the raw milk products and feeding them to her 18-month-old daughter since 10 months of age, citing benefits from beneficial bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals.

The direct-to-consumer model creates intimate connections between producer and customers, with Darnielle emphasizing the importance of local food systems that provide transparency, freshness, and community economic benefits. Her family operates with minimal grocery store dependence due to on-farm food production capabilities, while extending similar opportunities to other families seeking locally-sourced alternatives to commercial dairy products. The business model supports local agriculture while keeping revenue within the community, demonstrating how micro dairies can serve dual functions of sustainable production and regional economic development.