Delicious Garlic Parmesean Wings

Garlic and parmesan - a match made in heaven. Wings are one of the easiest cuts to prep and absorb so much flavor. This recipe uses turkey wings, which are cheaper and meatier than chicken wings, but you could definitely substitute chicken wings! It takes about 15 minutes total to prep,then you pop them in the oven or on the grill, and dinner is served! Ingredients: 2ct turkey wings (mine weighed about a lb each) ¼ cup butter, melted 3 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup finely grated fresh parmesan Salt and pepper to taste Parsley (optional, but makes a nice and tasty garnish) 1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet (necessary to keep the wings off the pan to create airflow, which creates a nice crisp skin - the best part of wings!). 2. Melt your butter over low heat. Then add in your minced garlic and let cook until it is starting to brown and is fragrant. Remove from heat. 3. Pat your wings dry with a paper towel and set on the wire rack. Using a pastry brush, slather your garlic butter all over the wings. Next, sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. 4. Place pan on middle rack in oven, and cook for about forty-five minutes to an hour, or until the skin is nice and crispy and the meat comes easily off the bone. 5. Sprinkle the grated parmesan on top of the wings and place back in the oven for a minute to let the cheese melt a bit. 6. Serve with the parsley garnish and whatever sauce you prefer! My favorite to pair these with is a garlic aioli. ~~~~~ I love big, bold flavors, and I love how quick this recipe was to whip up after a day at work. I also like using turkey wings since you don’t need as many to make it a filling meal, and the bonus is they’re cheaper than chicken wings! A great side dish to serve with these is homemade sweet potato fries, which are super easy to make! You can cook them in the oven with the wings, and they’ll both be done around the same time. Great for saving time and making a well rounded, satisfying meal! Cheers! ~Bethany

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Whiffletree Hens Deep Dive Part 2

Jesse's back with Part 2 of a deep dive into Whiffletree farming practice around hens!

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Whiffletree Hens Deep Dive Part 1

Listen as Jesse begins a deep dive into Whiffletree farming practice around hens!

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Easy One-Pan Turkey Drumstick Recipe

Everyone has those hectic days when no one has time to spend hours in the kitchen, so we all need quick and easy meals in our back pocket. This one-pan meal (inspired by a combo Liz Straight likes to make for their family) combines the sweet and savory flavors from thyme, sweet potatoes, balsamic, garlic, onion, and goat cheese. It serves about 3-4 people, takes about 20 minutes to prep, dirties only a few dishes, and is packed full of flavor, so it’s a winner! A bonus to turkey is that it is actually cheaper per pound than chicken is, and can be substituted for chicken in just about any recipe! And it is packed with a wide range of minerals and B vitamins. This recipe uses turkey drumsticks, which is the most economical cut of turkey we carry (and dare I say the tastiest?). But you can substitute whatever cut of turkey is your favorite and adjust the cooking time accordingly! Easy One-Pan Turkey Drumstick Recipe: Ingredients: 2 turkey drumsticks (I used 2 - 2.5 lbs drumsticks) 3 Tbsp. butter, tallow, or lard 4 sweet potatoes 1 small onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves ½ tsp. Garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup fresh arugula Crumbled goat cheese (optional) Balsamic vinegar or glaze Chopped pecans (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat your oven to 300. 2. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then slice the onion. Combine both in a 9x13 pan. Add in the minced garlic, thyme leaves, and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Melt the butter, tallow, or lard in a small saucepan. Add a couple tablespoons to the sweet potato mixture (make sure to reserve some for your turkey drumsticks). Mix everything together. 3. Pat your drumsticks dry. Rub the rest of your melted fat of choice onto the drumsticks, then sprinkle on the garlic powder and some salt and pepper. Nestle the drumsticks in the pan with the sweet potatoes. 4. Place in your preheated oven and cook for about 80-90 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 F. 5. Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool a bit. Then add in your fresh arugula, crumbled goat cheese, and pecans. Mix it up, and drizzle the balsamic over the top. 6. And you’re done! I made this at work on a day when I didn’t have any leftovers in my fridge to bring for lunch. It was super quick and easy to whip up, but still a very satisfying, delicious meal.  Another variation you can do with this is to substitute butternut squash instead of the sweet potatoes. Your choice! Enjoy! ~Bethany

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Not Made, But Found

My daughter and I run together some mornings of the week, and besides catching up we also like to listen to "The Daily Poem" podcast. This morning we heard this one by Pulitzer Prize winning Richard Wilbur.   Wedding Toast "St. John tells how, at Cana's wedding feast, The water-pots poured wine in such amountThat by his sober countThere were a hundred gallons at the least.It made no earthly sense, unless to showHow whatsoever love elects to blessBrims to a sweet excessThat can without depletion overflow.Which is to say that what love sees is true;That this world's fullness is not made but found.Life hungers to aboundAnd pour its plenty out for such as you.Now, if your loves will lend an ear to mine,I toast you both, good son and dear new daughter.May you not lack for water,And may that water smack of Cana's wine."   My daughter and I both thought it a very sweet poem.    Part of what this poem is about is making a claim about reality--how in a fundamental way, reality (or God and his world, as shown by Jesus at the wedding) is full of love and blessing and abundance and life that "brims to a sweet excess."   With that context, this line stuck out to me: "That this world's fullness is not made but found." One way of looking at the world and our work is that the main task in life is man-handling what we want out of this world.  Squeezing and imposing and "building".  The alternative orientation is the way of this poem--that our main task is mostly figuring out how to best co-operate with reality that is already bursting with life.   Our approach to farming is with the presumption that "life hungers to abound."  And it is our fundamental job as farmers to facilitate the life that is much bigger than us--we help put the right pieces in the right places at the right time (which is no small task!)--but we don't really "make anything grow."  We can move the animals around the pastures in the right rotation at the right times to make the soil, and plants, and animals happy, but we don't make the sun shine, and we don't crank any gears to make photosynthesis happen, and we don't make the soil microbes work, and we don't wind up the chickens to keep them running.   In other words, as farmers "This world's fullness is not made but found."  We don't do good work when we aggressively impose our will on the soil, plants, and animals.  We do our best work when we find the abundant ways of nature and life, and in humility, join in collaboration.   Of course, this poem was not written about farming (ha!), but it is about living and love and how to see the world and ourselves--how it is a sad joke to live in Scrooge-ish grasping dominance, but wonderful to live in the harmony and abundance of collaborating with the nature of reality.  And being a farmer, I couldn't help but hear those thoughts when I heard those lines.   Our aim is to "find" the abundance in nature's ways, and pass that abundance along to you, our customers, in the form of tasty food that is truly healthy for the land, animals, and community.   ~Jesse Straight

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The Best BBQ Drumsticks

Nothing says summer more than a good BBQ (I know, it’s not summer yet, but one can dream!).  But honestly, these drumsticks are good any time of year - the BBQ flavors are compounded when mixed with the smoky essence of a grill, or when it’s cold the spices warm you up and fire up your tastebuds. And served with some roasted potatoes slathered with butter? They are smashing! This recipe is inspired by a recipe that Jesse and Liz Straight and their family love. These drumsticks are served with a tangy white BBQ sauce with a bit of spice…a perfect compliment to the spice rub on the drumsticks! (Or serve ‘em up with whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is!) Drumsticks: 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar 1 ½ Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 2 tsp. black pepper 1 ½ tsp. onion powder 1 ½ tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional, but adds a nice twist!) ½ tsp. cayenne (optional) 2 Tbsp. water 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 ½ lbs. chicken drumsticks (or use turkey drumsticks!) White BBQ Sauce: 1 c. mayonnaise ¼ c. apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. prepared horseradish 1 ½ tsp. hot sauce ½ tsp. cayenne (optional, depends on how much spice you like!) Directions: 1. Heat your oven to 375. 2. While the oven is heating, mix together the dry ingredients for the drumsticks. Add in the water, stir, and let sit for a couple minutes to allow the water to soften the spices. Then add in the oil and let sit for another couple minutes to allow the water and oil to draw out the flavor compounds of the spices. 3. Place a wire rack on your baking sheet. Pat the drumsticks dry with a paper towel, then rub them with the spice rub. Lay them on the wire rack with the fat end facing the edge of the pan. (You can always skip the wire rack if you’re in a hurry and want to get supper on the table as fast as possible, or want to minimize clean up after. A wire rack will just create air flow to give you the crispiest skin possible!) 4. Bake in the oven (or on the grill) for 1 hour. 5. While the drumsticks are cooking, mix up all the ingredients for the sauce. Add as much hot sauce or cayenne ‘til it’s as spicy as you want. 6. Serve the drumsticks with the sauce on the side. Some lemon wedges add a nice bright note to the dish as well! I think this is my all-time favorite drumstick recipe. They’re quick, easy, and delicious. I highly recommend adding these into your meal rotation! If you’re looking for more ideas on how to make drumsticks, here’s a few more ideas from Liz Straight: A one-pan meal with drumsticks, brussel sprouts, and diced sweet potatoes tossed in melted lard or bacon fat and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Crumbled bacon on top is a bonus! Nestle everything in a pan and bake at 375 for 60 minutes.Drumsticks, melted lard or tallow, diced potatoes, a few minced garlic cloves, diced tomatoes (canned or fresh), lemon zest to taste, dried or chopped fresh herbs of choice, and olives. Cook the same way as above!Mix equal parts of melted butter and Dijon mustard, mix in dried or chopped fresh herbs of choice (dried basil or tarragon, or fresh thyme recommended!) and paint onto the drumsticks. Cook at 375 for an hour! And the ideas are endless. Have fun in the kitchen experimenting and finding your family’s favorite! Cheers! Bethany

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Tasty Curried Drumstick Recipe

Finger food (noun): food that can be taken on a picnic, enjoyed outside or made for a tailgate party, and must be messy, finger-lickin’ good. (From the Whiffletree Farm Dictionary, unabridged.) I don’t know about you, but the beautiful weather this last week has had me thinking about SPRING! While I love soups and roasts and warming comfort food during the wintertime, I’m always ready to ditch the spoons and forks and make finger food again. We have a couple drumstick recipes to share with you this month. The first is curried drumsticks with a zingy yogurt sauce. Bake in the oven, or, if you’re like me, it’s time to break out the grill! Reasons why drumsticks are so great… They are the most economical cut of chicken you can get and can easily be substituted for any recipe calling for thigh meat for half the price!The moist, dark meat is some of the best! Dark meat is richer in vitamins, minerals, and fat than white meat is. Also the skin is amazing for you, full of different minerals than the meat contains. AND dark meat is forgiving - it’s almost impossible to overcook!There are so many variations of seasonings you can do with them, so your loved ones won’t get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Points for being versatile!For those who don’t like to get their fingers dirty, it’s easy to cut the meat off, but for those who don’t mind getting their fingers a little sticky, it’s great fun and saves on some dishes! So without further ado, here is the recipe! Curry-Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with Herbed Yogurt Sauce Chicken: 4 tsp. curry powder 1 Tbsp. kosher salt 1 ¼ tsp. ground cardamom 1 ¼ tsp. packed coconut sugar ¾ tsp. ground ginger ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg ¾ tsp. smoked paprika 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. water 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 ½ lbs. chicken drumsticks (could also do turkey drumsticks!) Herbed Yogurt Sauce: 1 c. plain Greek yogurt ½ c. fresh cilantro leaves, minced 3 Tbsp. lime juice (2 limes) 2 Tbsp. water, plus extra as needed ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger ½ tsp. honey 1. Adjust oven rack to the upper middle and preheat oven to 350F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on the sheet. 2. While the oven is preheating, whisk all the spices and coconut sugar together with the water. Let sit for a few minutes until it has thickened into a paste. Then whisk in the oil (see note below). 3. Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel. Roll each drumstick in the curry spice slurry until evenly coated on all sides. Arrange the drumsticks, skin side up, on the prepared rack with the thicken end closer to the edge of the baking sheet (the edges of the baking sheet get the hottest, so this helps them cook more evenly, and the wire rack ensures plenty of air circulation and crispier skin). Spoon any of the excess spice mixture on top, or use a brush to brush on. 4. Roast the drumsticks for 45-50 minutes or until they reach 180 degrees, rotating the sheet halfway through for even cooking. Once they reach 180, turn on the broiler and let the drumsticks sit under it for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 5. While the drumsticks are roasting, prep the sauce. Simply add all the ingredients together, and add as much water as you want to thin it out to your desired consistency. 6. Serve the drumsticks with the sauce on the side. (For the best enjoyment, no forks or knives allowed.) For an idea of what to serve these drumsticks with, they pair amazingly with a cucumber salad! Note: The flavor compounds of spices are largely fat soluble. Some, however, are water soluble, so adding water and oil ensures every possible nuance of flavor is drawn out! I absolutely love this recipe. It is a perfect combo of warming spices and bright, fresh flavors from the yogurt sauce. It makes a perfect spring dish! Up next on the blog is one other favorite drumstick recipe of ours, so stay tuned! Cheers! Bethany

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Easy Oven-Baked Brisket

For many, St. Patrick’s Day means corned brisket. But for us pasture-raised farmers and eaters who believe food is medicine, corned brisket means some not so healthy things (like nitrates). But not to worry! You can enjoy this classic without compromising health, and still get a brisket that is tasty and moist and delectable. I brined my brisket in this recipe. The extra moisture will affect the ability to get a good bark on your brisket, but hey, our goal is taste and health, so I’m not too worried about getting a perfect bark (although I want to try dry brining a brisket next time to see how that works!). Another option of curing your brisket without nitrates is by using whey, so if you’re curious about a more traditional way of curing your brisket look that up! Because I was short on time and in a busy season of life, I chose to do a salt brine. The key to getting a moist brisket is by cooking it at a low temp. It has to cook low and slowly enough to give time for all the connective tissues to break down and render. If you cook it at too high of a temp, it will cook too fast and those connective tissues will remain intact, leaving you with a tough brisket. This recipe is easy and doesn’t require much effort - it just takes time to cook it appropriately! So here’s how to make a brisket that will make your mouth water and have the family running to the table! Brine: 1 gallon water ½ cup kosher salt ½ cup coconut sugar 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds 1 Tbsp. whole peppercorn Bring water to a boil and add in salt and sugar to dissolve. Add in the rest of the ingredients and let the brine cool. Place your brisket in a pot or brining bag and pour the cooled brine over it. Let brine in the fridge overnight, or for about 12 hours. Brisket Rub: 2 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. onion powder 1 Tbsp. garlic powder Instructions: 1. Take your brined brisket and pat dry with paper towels, and let sit out to dry for a half hour. 2. Preheat your oven to 250. 3. While the oven is preheating and the brisket is drying, mix together all the ingredients for the rub. After the brisket has dried, spread a little oil on the outside of the brisket. Not too much, just enough to give the rub something to bind to. Then sprinkle the rub all over, making sure to rub it over the entire brisket. 4. Take a baking sheet (large enough to keep your brisket from dripping into your oven) and place a wire rack on it. This will lift the brisket off the rack to create more airflow, which will help achieve the ‘bark’ on your brisket. Place your brisket on the rack, and then put in the oven on the middle shelf. 5. Let it cook for about three hours, then remove from the oven and wrap in foil or butchers paper. Return to oven, and let it cook until it reaches 200 degrees, about another 4-5 hours (see note at the end about the ‘stall’ that can happen while cooking). Also, an oven thermometer that you can keep inserted without opening the door is handy, as constantly opening the oven to check the temp lengthens the time it will take to cook). 6.Take it out of the oven and let it rest for an hour. This step is very important! As the brisket cooks, all the moisture is pushed out toward the edges of the meat, so if you cut into it right away you’ll spill all the moisture out. If you let it sit, the moisture will redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a delectably moist brisket. *It’s safe to let it sit on the counter for about an hour, but if you have more time than that before serving, you can wrap the brisket in foil (if you didn’t wrap it after the stall), wrap in a couple towels for insulation, and place in a small cooler until you’re ready to serve. 7. Enjoy! *A note about the ‘stall’ when cooking a brisket: You may find your brisket stalls while cooking. This is caused by moisture evaporating off the surface of the brisket, causing a cooling effect. Lots of factors contribute to this, including how cloudy it is or how humid it is outside. That’s why we wrapped the brisket in this recipe, to help you get past that stall a little more quickly then if you just let it go. Some people prefer to not wrap it so they get a better ‘bark’ on their brisket, but if you’re like me and didn’t have time to sit around waiting for the brisket to get past the stall (it can take hours!), wrapping is the way to go. So for a recap on how this went for me… The brisket turned out moist and tender, which was my goal. It had a decent bark on it, although next time I want to try a dry brine and see how that goes as I try to perfect my brisket skills (and break out the grill too? Anyone here like grilling as much as me?). What didn’t quite work out for me was that it was too salty, so I adjusted the salt amounts in this recipe to account for that. And my brisket went through a major stall which meant I served dinner way later than I expected (or anyone wanted), so I would start it earlier and then plan on keeping it warm until dinnertime. And the last thing I want to add is to encourage you to get creative with your seasonings! The dry rub can be a concoction of whatever your favorite spices or herbs are, so have fun with it! Cheers!

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Meet the Team: Elizabeth

I grew up in the sunny south, until our family moved north to Virginia farmland where we lived for many years. To be raised with a connection to land is a heritage I treasure. Over time, that connection has evolved and become more layered.As an adult, I traveled to several areas in the US and abroad, where I worked with horses, cows, goats, chickens, groves, gardens, and vineyards. This work was done for several service projects in contexts rife with socioeconomic and cultural turmoil. That chapter of life brought me shoulder to shoulder with refugees, marginalized women, and struggling families. I witnessed firsthand how a connection to the land impacts the physical, mental, social, and economic health of individuals and communities.Following this impactful season, I settled in Pennsylvania to continue my education and career. When the events of 2020 unfolded, I unexpectedly returned to Virginia, and eventually joined the Whiffletree team. I’ve had various roles— from the store and fields to behind-the-scenes office work— and I've loved every moment. After nearly two years on-site, the time came to return to PA. And I had the huge privilege of continuing to work remotely for Whiffletree. If you’ve emailed, visited our website, or placed orders, you’ve likely interacted with me. Outside of Whiffletree, I work with my partner in PA, helping patients and clients improve pain, mobility, strength, and rehabilitation through physical manual therapy and functional coaching. I also volunteer at a farm that provides nature-centered therapeutic and educational services. My focus is working with rescued and repurposed horses who partner in community programs supporting children, women, families, and veterans. We also have goats and a pig.While I can’t be physically present at Whiffletree as much as I wish, I am deeply committed to its growth. My life experiences have reinforced the importance of nutrient-rich foods, the connection of humans to land and animals, and how farming plays a critical role in building thriving communities. Jesse is a truly gifted and humble leader, and the team he has assembled is second to none. I have immense respect for everyone who works tirelessly every day to make it all possible. Fun Facts: It is quite possible that I have consumed more Whiffletree hotdogs than any other human!I love when I'm with doctors, patients, or clients, and Whiffletree texts flash across my phone screen about hens, cattle, or turkeys :)I started at Whiffletree when there was only one freezer, no inventory system, and no online ordering-- we've grown so much!In my years helping Whiffletree's annual Thanksgiving turkey sale, I've spelled "turkey" incorrectly 15 times total (yes, I counted!). After you say the word countless times for months in a row, your brain plays tricks on you.I've clocked thousands of hours milking cows and goats, and helping farmers at harvests here and abroad.I enjoy being a teacher and mentor to athletes, women, and youth in programs for rehab and strength, trauma recovery, self-defense, and support for autism and other developmental hurdles.

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Meet the Team: Melanie

Melanie has been working with Whiffletree since she was a teenager. She started out on our processing crew, and now she works as our bookkeeper. It is such a blessing to have her at the farm. She has so much passion and enthusiasm and love for life that is contagious for everyone around her. The most exciting development recently is that she and her husband just welcomed their first baby girl into their family! Where did you grow up? I grew up here, in Fauquier County! I have 11 siblings, of which I am the third eldest. What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? After going to college and trying to determine just what I would do next, I ultimately found myself in nursing school. While the information was fascinating and experiences were valuable, I ultimately discerned out of that and found myself back at Whiffletree.    What inspired you to become a farmer? As long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in farming. As a young child, books like Little House on the Prairie and similar stories gave me insight to a way of life that once was more common.  A life full of hard work, being in tune with and working with nature, self-sustainability, and ultimately just being intentional with my decisions. I would check out books from the library on raising animals and gardening. I quickly made farming a part of my personality and identity.  What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? To be mentally tough. Like a lot. Sometimes you really do just have to do something even if you don’t want to. For example, I’ve had early mornings hand shoveling a walkway in feet of snow to check and tend to lambs. Also, in the middle of the night in windy March to check on trays of little plants just to make sure they weren’t frozen. Then quickly having to come up with a plan to save them! The list goes on. But I have learned that the weather and time of day does not discriminate against having to work. How has farming benefited you? Farming has benefited me in many ways. It’s built resiliency, analytical thinking, and acceptance, just to name a few things. Working with your hands and mind to produce fruit (literally and figuratively) is quite rewarding.  What do you hope to accomplish through farming? I hope to continue to build a life where each day is rewarding. It’s important to remember that raising a small garden to feed your family can be just as fulfilling as raising thousands of chickens to sell to hundreds of people.  How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here? In high school I started out working on the poultry processing crew. Since then I have: worked general farm chores, farm store, inventory management, bookkeeping, poultry processing crew management, and various other tasks.  Most memorable Whiffletree experience? 13 hour turkey processing day. In November. Brrrrr! What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? My favorite animal is hands down the cattle. They mosey through the pasture intentionally grazing their days away. They aren’t concerned with what has been or what will be. When I sit and watch them, I often feel silly, wondering just why do we rush through our days like aimless busy bees, when the cattle are just as or even more content taking each day as it comes? I 100% recommend visiting the cattle when you visit the farm store. Bring your lunch, just sit and watch silently.   Favorite hobby?  Or favorite things you like to do when not working?   I love to garden, hike, learn anything, and bake.  Favorite food? Meat. Probably beef.  Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? I love to make one pan pasta dish in a cast iron. I cook mild Italian sausage and vegetables in the pan , then add uncooked pasta, broth, heavy cream, pasta sauce and cheese. Let it all cook together. Yummy and easy!

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Meet the Team: Ben

Back to our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we have Ben Dillon, who hails from Louisiana. He came to Whiffletree as an intern in the winter of 2021, then became a full time employee in the fall of 2023. He’s a great teacher and always ready with a word of encouragement, and loves to help others on the farm pursue their interests. And he does a great job taking care of our pigs and cattle! Where did you grow up? I grew up in southeast Louisiana. What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? I served 10 years in the Navy and then produced, managed, and directed off-road triathlons and trail runs. What inspired you to become a farmer? Inspiration came from a growing biblical worldview and the connection of so many physical, emotional, and psychological ailments that plague society. Other inspiration came from authors such as Wendell Berry and Joel Salatin. What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? That farming is like many other disciplines: get started and then learn through experience of what works and what doesn’t, then adjust and execute. Develop and nurture relationships. Continue in humility as knowledge and experience develops.  God created us to participate and though nature is complex, there are techniques, practices, and procedures that are tried and true for managing in a way that benefits the entire ecosystem, in which we are connected. How has farming benefited you? I have benefited, just as I have served in the Navy and then as a race director, to be surrounded by amazing men and women who strive for excellence in all that they do.  As well, farming reminds me that at the end of the day humans need clothing, shelter, and food…and that those animals need to be managed in a way that honors the animals’ nature and benefits the land, and that we farmers are dependent on our customers to value our good work, and that we farmers are here to serve our customers, animals, and land.  So that in the end, each day is a day to be committed in service of others.   What do you hope to accomplish through farming? To continue surrounding myself around others who value the need for managing animals in an ethical way that results in healthy, vibrant  ecology and nourishing food.  How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here? I have gone from Intern (then serving at another farm for the summer and then spending a brief time back home) to current feeder to finish hog manager and secondarily maintaining, repairing, or coordinating repairs on our various vehicles and equipment. This coming year I will take more of a lead on our beef production. Most memorable Whiffletree experience? My most memorable Whiffletree experience would be sharing our winter internship experience with Robby and Josiah. The work was great but our time spent gathered together during meals and other non-farm related activities was most memorable. What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? Pigs: start to finish they are aesthetically pleasing to look at and come with bunches of personality. Favorite hobby?  Or favorite things you like to do when not working?  I like to backpack, read, and visit friends. Favorite food? I like to cook and eat various soups and stews. Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? Within those soups and stews, I like to put various types of beef ranging from ground beef, beef brats, and steak.

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Liz's Delicious Caeser Salad Recipe

A few people have asked for Liz’s Caesar salad dressing recipe, so we thought we’d use her recipe to kick off something new for the blog. The first week of every month, we’ll post one of our favorite recipes, so keep an eye out…you won’t want to miss them! So here’s the recipe for Liz’s famous Caesar salad dressing! Ingredients: ½ fresh lemon, squeezed, or 2 Tbsp. lemon juice4-6 cloves garlic, minced1 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard2 Tbsp. homemade mayonnaise½ c. extra-virgin olive oil 1 c. grated Parmesan (optional)1 small jar anchovy fillets, minced (optional)½ tsp. sea saltFreshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions: Combine all the ingredients into a bowl. For the anchovies, if using, you can either mince them very finely and mix, or use an immersion blender or food processor to combine all the ingredients together. Liz also likes to leave the parmesan on the side so people can add as much or as little as they like. Simple, quick, easy…and most importantly, delicious! *We offer extra-virgin olive oil from Laconiko, which comes directly from their Greek olive farm! If you look into olive oil, you’ll find there’s some fishy business with a very real possibility of corruption and deceit, so we love our olive oil and the fact we know exactly where it comes from and that it’s 100% pure olive oil! Check it out HERE! Jesse’s favorite combo with this dressing is grilled chicken breasts or sirloin strip.  We will probably do our favorite steak recipe for one of the future blogs!  Stay tuned! Give this recipe a try and let us know how you like it!

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