MAHOMET, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Most high school students are busy enough with schoolwork and sports—but for Taylor Mills, a junior at Mahomet-Seymour High School, that’s just the beginning.
Between running track, playing basketball, and competing in cross country, Taylor also operates her own seasonal business: Bulldog Produce Company, a roadside fruit and vegetable stand she runs with the help of her younger siblings, Chandler (13) and Ben (11). Now entering her third year, the business has flourished—thanks to Taylor’s drive, her family’s support, and her deepening involvement in the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
Taylor didn’t grow up on a farm, and neither did her parents, Tecia and Nathan Mills. But a new agriculture class introduced in 8th grade—taught by a friend’s sister—sparked her interest. That led to FFA and eventually to a conversation with her dad that planted the seed for a produce stand. Two years later, Bulldog Produce sells out regularly, working with Rendleman Orchards and Flamm Orchards in southern Illinois to offer seasonal fruit like peaches, picked up by Taylor’s family at Old Orchard Lanes in Savoy.
“We just wrapped up our peach season,” said Taylor, who sold half pecks, full pecks, and full boxes through pre-orders on the business’s Facebook page. “We’re sold out for the summer, but I’m already planning for next year.”
Taylor also grows and sells sweet corn, and she’s strategic about her time—balancing FFA officer meetings twice a month, sports events on weekends, and time with friends when she can find it. All of this is part of her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), where she’s climbing the FFA degree ladder: starting with Discovery in 8th grade, then Greenhand, Chapter, and now working toward her State level. She’s logging hours and raising funds to eventually qualify for the American Degree, FFA’s highest honor.
In addition to Bulldog Produce, Taylor also runs a successful bracelet business, Stack & Style, which recently earned her the Arts & Communications Supervised Occupational Experience award.
Taylor’s long-term goal? To study agricultural business in college—funded in part by the profits from her summer produce stand. When she graduates, she plans to hand the business down to Chandler, who’s already learning the ropes.
“None of this would be possible without my parents,” she said. “They’ve helped me build something that not only supports my goals but also connects me to the community and to agriculture—something I never imagined I’d love so much.”
From bracelets to bushels, Taylor Mills is proving that you don’t need to grow up on a farm to grow a future in agriculture.
