It’s not every day you experience concepts like DRFT Farm built for the culture. In fact, most spaces created for artists to unwind and frolic are often curated for collectives that don’t know how to hold space for Black artistry.
Short for Don’t Run From Today, DRFT Farm visionaries Milk and Sizz anchor their mission in fostering a space that prioritizes living in the present, rest, and restoration during the creative process. Imagined through their own challenges in the music industry and desires for a better artist experience, the husband-and-wife duo navigated a competitive real estate market with multiple offers in 2021 to secure their 10-acre plot of legacy in Jackson, Georgia. Four years later, the couple has completely transformed the once-dilapidated property into a multi-disciplinary space for musicians, writers, and artists from various creative fields, located just an hour south of Atlanta.
Before entering their farm era, Malkia “Milk” Hornsby and Kazha “Sizz” Hornsby honed their writing and producing talents over an 18-plus-year career in music, film, and television. Known for bending and blending genres, the Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning couple has collaborated with artists such as Chris Brown, J. Holiday, Stephen Marley, The Magic Jones, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. You may have also heard songs they’ve had featured on shows like Modern Family, Claws, or Donald Glover’s Atlanta.
But an extended trip to Kenya, along with the pressures of the pandemic, led them down a path they couldn’t have imagined. While much of the world knows Milk and Sizz for their prowess in music and entertainment, or now as farm owners, I have the pleasure of calling them friends. Watching my friends take an idea and transform it into a sanctuary for Black creativity has fueled my own inspiration — and made me want to share its magic with every artist I know.
A 10-Acre Family Legacy Rooted In Artistry And Agriculture
As a fellow creatively driven friend, I’ve watched Milk and Sizz advocate for artists and authenticity. It’s always been their ethos. From working with legends to curating their own music experiences over the years, I’ve witnessed their evolution into DRFT Farm. All too familiar with the pressured environments created by traditional recording studios, Milk and Sizz lead with calm creativity. Always championing artists in an industry where problematic behavior runs rampant, they decided it was time to create the space they had long envisioned.
“We’ve always been advocates since entering the industry,” Milk shares with Travel Noire. “We created our own space for that type of creativity to flourish, and we help creatives learn how to consume better. What you put in your body directly affects your output. I would love to take credit for it, but it was a God mission. We had gone through several iterations of creating studios [and] partnering with people. We needed full autonomy to create the safest space, because that’s what we really needed during the pandemic. So many creatives perished because of mental, financial, [or] emotional resources. Whatever the resources were, it just wasn’t there.”
The Spark
Alongside the difficulties experienced during the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, it was a challenging year for the Hornsby family. Their family was displaced by flooding after investing immense effort in customizing their home. The distress sent them on an extended trip to Kenya, Milk’s home country, to be with family as the year came to a close.
“My family has tons of farms,” Milk reflects. “I think every single one of my brother’s siblings has a farm, including my dad. And then their children sometimes have farms as well.”
Milk admits that Kenya almost persuaded her to stay permanently. However, after a few months, they decided to return to the States. That’s when the farm concept began taking form, shaped by the roots and rituals that had always fueled their artistry. Their priorities in finding the right location were simple: somewhere safe, designed to facilitate creativity, where their family could thrive. The farm’s “stay, play, create” mantra was born in the search for a place to plant roots for DRFT.
Ultimately, they ended up in Jackson, Georgia – a rural city most famous for its ties to the Netflix hit Stranger Things, which used it as a filming location for the show. Less than 10 minutes by car to Jackson Lake, Milk says South Georgia wasn’t their plan, but a competitive market landed them the perfect property.
“We’ve created a place where you don’t have to sleep on the studio floor or stay up all night to create a hit record, paint your best painting, or write your best novel,” she shares. “All mediums are welcome, [and] we think creating from a healthy place needs to be where the conversation starts. It’s not one size fits all. We touch on a lot of things, but we know that it starts with consumption.”
She continues, “The farm reminds us to be in this moment and do something now that is good for you. That’s the easiest and best way to tap back into creativity. We make agriculture extremely accessible because touching the earth [and] grass will unlock things in your brain that you didn’t even know were there. If you learn how to do something cool along the way, all the better.”
Inside A DRFT Farm Experience
Turning down DRFT Farm’s dirt road after a scenic drive from Atlanta, you instantly feel a sense of peace. The creative retreat is a nourishing getaway from the city, and the experiences are sure to fill your inspiration cup.
For a quick respite, DRFT’s signature events are fitting for a day trip. Gather and Graze, for example, is a chef-led experience that features intentional dishes, craft cocktails, and stimulating dialogue. Picked and Plate, on the other hand, asks guests to dig in and cook the meal together. While both are standout DRFT experiences, Milk says guests really enjoy the immersion of a Picked and Plated event.
“That experience is so powerful — a lot of food waste happens because you don’t know how to use an ingredient in multiple ways,” she shares. “Right now we’re on calendula, so that has lots of healing and antioxidant properties, and is this beautiful golden flower. We consume it every morning as a part of our tea ritual.”
Milk and Sizz assure that the drive is worth it, and after making my first visit, I wholeheartedly agree. Expect flavorful food, a chance to connect (or reconnect) with yourself, and nothing but good vibes.
DRFT Farm also recently announced the expansion of its offerings, with the completion of SNDBRD, an on-site studio suite. The property currently features one suite, but will eventually expand to 10. Booking options for an overnight stay include a weekend (Friday through Sunday) or a one-night stay. Guests can come and participate in a full retreat, where you plant something, consume something, and then create something.
“You cannot sustain your creativity without proper nourishment, support, [or] foundation,” Milk says. “It goes back to the basics — food, shelter, clothing — but rest is important, too. Sometimes people don’t come for the creativity, they come just to touch the grass. They have their meals, opportunities to plant something, and just them getting out there — doing that feels really good.”
What’s Next?
While Milk and Sizz continue to produce hits in the music world, their next chapter is all about creating intimate, immersive, and high-quality experiences that bring together their passions for sound, food, nature, and connection. During our interview, Milk teases mini-festivals featuring music artists at DRFT in the future, in addition to expanding the property’s overnight suites.
“If people leave here better than they came, that’s all that we’ve ever wanted to do,” Milk shares. “Learning how to tap back into what makes you creative — that’s been truly magical. It’s been fun doing food experiences and workshops, learning how to cook things. The songwriting sanctuary retreat was insane, and I actually got to write. With SNDBRD now being unlocked, a new level of [our] sanctuary is being unlocked.”
Along with DRFT’s curated events, the farm is also available for private and corporate occasions. Upcoming events are listed on DRFT Farm’s website, and their newsletter and social media channels are typically the first place to stay up-to-date on new programming.
