Joey Mason of Mason Hills Farm in Grand Bay, Alabama, has done a lot in his 40 years. He’s the kind of man who doesn’t let the moss grow under his feet. He’s not afraid to take a risk, hard work doesn’t scare him, and he always sees a bigger vision for what things can become.

Born in Bay Minette, Joey graduated from Baldwin County High School in 2004. By that time, he had already started and sold his first landscape business before attending Bible College for a year. “Things work out if you just listen to the Lord,” he says.

When the first buyer of his landscape business couldn’t make payments, Joey restarted it from scratch. Fourteen years later, after growing it far beyond its original size, he sold it again in 2019. Using the proceeds, he invested in his first rental property, an RV park he still owns today.

He also bought a home on Dog River. Along the way, he married and divorced, finding himself living alone in that house.

“I’m okay with solitude,” Joey says. “It gives me peace and allows me to hear what God is telling me.” He purchased the RV park just hours before his landscape company's sale closed—a move that gave him working capital and peace of mind. “I’ve learned to time things according to that small voice inside me,” he explains. “Obedience doesn’t have to be perfect. You just have to develop ears to hear and be crazy enough to follow through.”

Life hasn’t always been easy. Joey has faced embezzlement, a painful divorce, and being pushed out of his own business. “My identity was stripped away in seasons,” he says. “That year of undoing led me to where I am today.”

In November 2020, sitting in his boathouse, Joey heard a message in his heart that told him, “It’s time to move”. Driving through Grand Bay soon after, he spotted a 250-acre farm for sale. With no background in agriculture, he mortgaged his home and bought it. He later sold his Dog River property and used the proceeds to expand by purchasing more RV parks.

At Mason Hills Farm, Joey decided to build a beef processing plant, specializing in dry-aged beef. “I started doing my research and learned that because of the backlog, it would take a year for a cow to be processed,” he says. “I learned on the job, and we now operate the only USDA-certified facility located on a farm in the area.” On December 12, 2022, Mason Hills Farm harvested its first cow under USDA inspection.

While building the plant, Joey was also building a culture. “We take care of each other. We’re a pro-us culture,” he says. “We trust each other and are building memories and relationships. The things I’ve built are just tools. What do you want to be remembered for? We’re all searching for peace in our lives.”

Mason Hills Farm reflects Joey’s constant drive to learn and take on challenges. Their products are featured in local restaurants such as Roosters Tacos & Tequila and Dauphin’s in downtown Mobile, and soon, Mason Hills will begin exporting to other countries.

“Our beef is a clean product,” Joey says. “What you consume is what you become. Highly processed foods are full of chemicals. We’re a true farm-to-table operation, and our product is the healthiest beef on the market.”

Mason Hills’ dry-aged process is rooted in nature and patience. “Most beef you buy is wet-aged for 24 to 45 days,” Joey explains. “Ours starts with good genetics—DNA-tested for marbling and fat—and is dry-aged for 14 days. That reduces moisture and increases protein, giving a richer, cleaner flavor.”

He adds, “Environment and feed are the foundations of great beef. The flavor profile is elevated. We don’t use injections or growth hormones. We don’t add chemicals or water to increase weight. It’s a higher-quality product that you can taste.”

Beyond business, Joey is an active member of the nonprofit Farmers in Action, which supports local food and community initiatives. Recently, he hosted Smoke on the Farm, a barbecue weekend where all proceeds benefited Farmers in Action.

Mason Hills Farm has an on-site butcher shop offering farm-raised dry-aged beef along with locally sourced pork, chicken, and bacon. For the holidays, gift boxes can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States or hand-delivered within 50 miles of the farm. Be sure to ask about the Herschel Burger ground beef, named in honor of Joey’s dad.

“Thanks, Joey,”  “What a great story.”

“It’s more than that.,” he replies. “It's a story of redemption, vision, and faith.”