10/19/2026
We are deeply sad to share that our Forever Employee of the Month, Miles, passed away this weekend. He was 15 years old, and has been a part of the farm since before the farm existed. I’ve included his pup-bituary below, if you’d like to join us in remembering our very best boy.
Mileston Mender-Franklin was born in Mileston, Mississippi, a tiny unincorporated community outside of the (also tiny) Tchula, Mississippi. As a roly-poly puppy, he would wander into the cafeteria of the school where I taught. One day, I took my students outside for a scavenger hunt and Miles wandered up for scratches. Some folks who lived next door to the school told me that if I wanted that puppy I should take him. They said that the alligators in the swamp behind the school had eaten other puppies (!!!). That afternoon, he was waiting by the front door when I left for the day. It felt like a sign, so I scooped him up and took him home.
Miles has been my constant companion for the past 5,355 days. He was simultaneously stubborn and the most easy-going boy. He loved going on adventures and doing sniff-vestigations. He was diligent about doing a full perimeter check of every yard and dog park he ever visited. The only thing he loved more than exploring was meeting new people. I once took him to the off-leash area at Shelby Farms and he promptly forgot every command he’d ever known. The only way I was able to get him back on leash was by asking one of the strangers he’d befriended to grab his collar for a sec.
Miles took his role as shop dog very seriously. He loved greeting customers, though he’d often snooze through the second half of his shift. He was awarded “permanent employee of the month” and has a plaque at the shop. He retired in February and had a party to celebrate.
Miles leaves behind a hole in our family and our team, but we’re so glad for the 15 years we got with him and that we got to share him with all of you.
❤️🩹Marisa and Corey
