By Maggie Gaddy 

Faith and devotion are secret ingredients mixed into every Sweet Grown Alabama product crafted at Mt. Moriah Farms in Dothan. 

“My father named Mt. Moriah Farms after the biblical account of Abraham being called to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah,” owner Mia Scott said. “The name represents sacrifice, trust and a relationship with the Lord.” 

The farm’s registered Nigerian Dwarf goat herd is at the heart of a product line that has grown to include 11 personal care items, from goat milk soap and lotion to facial and baby care sets.

“My goal is to bring awareness to a more natural lifestyle,” Scott said. “We strive to bring handmade and healthy products while educating others. Most people don’t realize their skin is their biggest organ, and what you use on your body does affect your health.”

Scott’s passion for agriculture began long before she built the business.

Growing up, Scott showed chickens through 4-H and was surrounded by livestock on her family’s farm. The family began raising animals in 2009, and by Christmas 2012, Scott’s wish list included a goat of her own. 

More than a decade later, Christmas looks a little different at Mt. Moriah Farms. Instead of wishing for a goat beneath the tree, Scott spends the holiday season filling orders for gift sets packed with farm-fresh skin care. 

“There’s something special knowing that a gift someone gives at Christmas started right here on our farm,” Scott said. “From hand-milking my own goats to making the products, every piece carries a little bit of our family, hard work and love for what we do.”

Scott said her journey took years of trial and error. She began by experimenting with goat milk soap recipes, studying ingredients and teaching soap-making classes. Scott landed her first wholesale account in 2015, and the business gained regional attention by 2020.

A Troy University small-business course in 2023 helped transform Mt. Moriah Farms from a passion project into a career. Scott’s determination was rewarded this spring when she won Alabama’s Rural-Owned Small Business of the Year Award. 

“This award challenged me to stop limiting myself and helped grow the business through recognition,” she said. “That pushed me to branch out my marketing.” 

Sweet Grown Alabama Assistant Director Aisling Walding said it’s inspiring to see the state’s agricultural brand attached to Scott’s creations. 

“Mia is a great example of the creativity and entrepreneurship we see among Sweet Grown Alabama members,” Walding said. “She’s taking an agricultural good produced in Alabama and transforming it into a product consumers can enjoy, especially during the season of giving.”

For Scott, it’s all about building something her two sons can one day carry forward. It’s more than milk; it’s a legacy, she said. 

“I want my boys to grow up with dirt to play in, love for the land in their hearts and kindness toward every animal they meet,” Scott said. “I want them to know that hard work builds character, caring for what God has given us is a blessing, and a gentle heart is never a weakness.”