Farm Aid Inc.
10/02/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/02/2024 16:31
Jesse Straight on Finding Simplicity and Working with Nature at Whiffletree Farm
Blog| October 2, 2024
Jesse Straight on Finding Simplicity and Working with Nature at Whiffletree Farm
Nominate a Farmer Hero
Farm Aid shines a spotlight on Farmer Heroes all over the country to show their innovative approaches to growing and raising good food. They inspire us as we build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Do you know a family farmer who deserves recognition? We'd love to hear about them. Tell us about your Farmer Hero
This guest post was written by Riley Smith, who works for Farm Aid's longtime communications partner Vanguard Communications in Washington, D.C., and sits on the Steering Committee of the Progressive Communicators of the District of Columbia. Coming from a long line of farmers, she is an avid plant mom and foodie with a passion for creating a more sustainable future for the ones she loves.
After reading the words of agrarian writer Wendell Berry in the late 2000s, Jesse Straight decided it was time to change his life. Living in Charlottesville, Virginia, Straight found a sort of philosophy for life in Berry's works: Find peace in family, community, land and simplicity. Though his current day-to-day routine could hardly be called simple - eight children and thousands of livestock to care for tend to add complexity to any person's schedule - Straight still credits Berry as his inspiration for becoming a farmer.
In Warrenton, Virginia, just beyond the suburbs of Washington, D.C., lays Whiffletree Farm. Since 2009, Whiffletree has been home to chickens, turkeys, pigs, grassfed cattle and more across 582 acres, most of which are rented from nearby farms. Straight and his family have an 82-acre plot that they love to call home. Six full-time employees, a handful of part-time staff, a rotation of interns and Straight's kids help him run the farm, in-person store and delivery system.
"My goal is to be a good father and be a good farmer."
"I really like the idea of my kids working with me and understanding what I do - it brings us closer to each other. My goal is to be a good father and to be a good farmer," says Straight.
Providing homegrown food to more than 25 restaurants, butchers, retail stores and families from the D.C.-metro area to central Virginia, Whiffletree manages significant demand from patrons near and far. More than 20 "Neighborhood Delivery Sites" have been established so that people across the region can enjoy farm-fresh meat, poultry, eggs and more.
"These started out as longtime customers who volunteered to hold onto their neighbors' orders. They said, 'Hey, we drive 45 minutes out here - why don't we just pick up everyone's so no one else has to?' It's become a great system," Straight adds.
That neighborly love has ingrained itself into every aspect of Whiffletree. When Straight and his wife Liz moved back to his hometown of Warrenton, they were immediately welcomed with open arms. "We have a great family and had a great community to come back to," he says. "We had a lot of support."
Straight makes sure to give back to that community whenever he can. Partnering with farms and organizations that align with his high standards, Straight brings all kinds of grocery items to the farm's customers to complement their own food offerings. Honey, maple syrup, tea, coffee, chocolate, olive oil and more can all be found online and in-store on the farm. Hens, seeds, feed and supplies are also available to those who want to start a garden or flock of their own.
Another notable feature of the farm is the historic Manor House, which the Straights make available for rental stays and events. Its storied past includes visits by John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Explaining how his farming practices are a collaboration with nature, Straight says that he prioritizes three things: movement, nourishment and rest. These three components are what his family calls their "secret sauce" to healthy and happy animals. By rotationally grazing all of their animals onto fresh pastures every 1-3 days, then letting the land rest for 1-3 months, Straight allows his farm to recover, which leads to more fertile ground and fewer pathogens. The animals are never given antibiotics or GMO feed and no chemicals are used for weeds, pests or diseases because, simply put, they aren't needed.
As Straight says, "With the status quo of food and farming as it is, the priority isn't the health of the food, land, animal [or] worker. The priority is cheap and convenient. I saw a way that I could do some good in the world. Farming is so hidden from most people, but what you put in your body and give to your children really merits and justifies that attention."