08/07/2026
A “Curemaster” is the craftsman who masters the skills to preserve and present those prized aged meats that please the palate and set the table. The production of country ham and other aged meats is a blend of science and artistry. Three members of the Newsom family have earned the title. All had youthful beginnings in the family business. Curemaster William H. “Col. Bill” Newsom took on the mantle that marks a craftsman as he operated the H.C. Newsom Store established by his grandfather, adding to it with a true traditional ham process. Curemaster Nancy Newsom Mahaffey, Bill’s daughter, became the third generation owner of the Newsom store, adding to the honors and international recognition, holding true to the process. Curemaster John C. Mahaffey, Nancy’s son, has been around “the hams” for the better part of his life, settling now into that role of trusting the process. Nature, time, salt, hickory smoke, pork and our labor — That’s it, Newsom’s, “The Ham You’ll Remember.”