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Reflections on 2024

written by

Jesse Straight

posted on

December 25, 2024

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2025 is just around the corner!

It’s hard to believe another year has flown by. As always, it was a year filled with adventure, and looking back, we are grateful and encouraged by all we were able to accomplish. So here’s the recap of Whiffletree’s 2024!

Whiffletree Crew:

This year, we had another set of amazing interns come through our farm!

  • Tyfani (Maryland): Tyfani joined us over the winter to gain some experience working on a regenerative livestock farm. She did a great job and was always cheerful and friendly. And bonus - she was a great cook! Now she attends the University of Maryland, pursuing a degree in horticulture. 
  • Lily (Florida): Lily came to join us during her gap year before starting school at the University of Florida. She was an excellent intern and worker, attentive to detail, and so great to have around!
  • Caroline (Virginia): Caroline is a track and cross country runner at JMU. She joined us as an intern for the summer with the interest of maybe getting something going on her grandparent’s old farm. Every now and then on breaks from school she pops in for a couple days to work with us!
  • Andrew (Virginia): Andrew is a local who graduated from the same high school as Jesse. He is a great and solid guy, and he is starting up his own business of growing mushrooms and micro-greens. We’re excited to see where that takes him! He also works part time now as the delivery driver for Whiffletree!
  • Akili (Virginia): Another Virginia local, Akili is a fellow you might recognize from being featured in the newspaper for completing the Appalachian Trail last year. He did the summer internship with us and has since stayed on as an all-star, full time employee!
  • Andy (Virginia): Andy grew up in a military family and attended college in Florida, but now lives with his family in Bristow, VA. He came for the fall internship, and was a good and thoughtful guy. He did great work with us! 
  • Anna (Virginia): Anna is a local to the Warrenton area, and her family has known Jesse since he was in high school. She helped out with chores, deliveries, and working the farm store, and she learned a lot! Her kind and cheerful spirit and smile were a treat, and she was a great worker!
  • Lani (Virginia): Lani is a long-time customer who is digging into the details of regenerative livestock farming over this winter and into the spring of 2025.  She is an enthusiastic and thoughtful addition to the team!

Some of our team also had some pretty cool things they did this year or life changes that happened to them!

  • Melanie (bookkeeper; inventory, processing, and freezer manager): Melanie and her husband Patrick are welcoming their first baby in January! The whole farm is so excited to meet their baby. Congratulations, Melanie and Patrick!
  • Elliot (cattle manager): After two years of working as the cattle manager for Whiffletree Farm, Elliot is moving on to work for the farm who supplies us with our calves. He was great to have as our cowboy and will be missed!
  • Carmen (farm store and neighborhood delivery manager): Carmen, who has been a part of the Whiffletree team for almost five years now, is engaged! We’re all excited for her and her fiance Brendon!
  • Bethany (wholesale, communications, marketing, and events manager): Bethany took a six month leave from Whiffletree to go intern at a farm in England! She had an amazing time learning regenerative farming there and exploring England, Wales, and Scotland.
  • Ben (pig manager): Ben is taking over as our cattle manager (and pig manager) here at Whiffletree! He’s excited for the opportunity and we’re looking forward to seeing what he’ll do with it.

Whiffletree Farm:

The farm has had a few big changes and fun happenings over the year…here are some of the highlights!

  • We got a third freezer installed. That has been a huge help to us to have more storage for our products here on-farm, and the people who work the freezers and help pack orders are all very happy for the extra space!
  • We welcomed Anthony Schiano as our new poultry manager. It’s been great to have him around and he’s done great work!
  • A fun highlight was getting to supply a Neil Young concert with our beef patties. Neil Young is one of Jesse’s favorite artists, and it was cool to have a celebrity want his concert to be supplied with products that align with our standards!
  • We got a vacuum sealer for our products! That has been a major difference in the quality of our poultry items. Retail and wholesale customers alike have all loved the change!
  • One of Jesse’s daughters has added a couple dairy cows to the animals of Whiffletree Farm. We’re hoping for the older heifer to have a calf next year!

The Straight Fam:

Liz and I (Jesse) are very grateful for each other, our kids, my parents, all the farm team, our church, and all our friends.  We are very blessed with all the good people that surround us.  Here are some of the highlights this year from our family:

  • Liz has done a great job homeschooling 7 of our 8 kids (Whew!  No small task.)
  • Our oldest daughter got her driver's license!
  • Some of our older kids have really enjoyed being involved with a local theatre group.
  • The kids and I have read/are reading so many good books together!  I love Story Nights with the kids!  Some examples:
    • To Kill a Mockingbird
    • The Virginian
    • Lord of the Rings
    • The Hobbit
    • Mossflower
    • The Little House on the Prairie stories
    • First Farm in the Valley
    • Murder in the Cathedral
    • The Yearling
    • The Sherlock Holmes stories
  • The older kids do a great job helping on the farm (for pay!) and doing their school work and having fun with each other and friends.  
  • We are all looking forward to when my daughter’s new dairy cow has her first calf in August, and she starts milking!

Blessings to you all, and thank you for all your support of our farm, our team, and our family!  We will continue to work so diligently to raise you food that is tasty and truly healthy for you, the land, the animals, and our community!

Jesse Straight

More from the blog

No More Dry Turkey

Did you know… Pasture-raised turkeys forage for about 40% of their diet from the pasture? I love going out to the turkey’s paddock and watching them scour the pasture, literally eating blades of grass like spaghetti. This reality about turkeys means that pasture-raised turkeys are one of the most nutrient-dense poultry options. They metabolize all the minerals and vitamins from the pasture and turn it into a form that we humans are able to digest and absorb.  The bonus? Pasture-raised turkeys are rich, flavorful, moist and tender. Even the breast meat is juicy and full of flavor (I’ve had people look at packages of our turkey breasts in the store and think they are dark meat because they are colored so richly!). No more dry, tasteless Thanksgiving turkeys! So this week, we’ll be sharing a very easy way to roast a Thanksgiving turkey plus an example timeline to help you as you plan your holiday! What you’ll need: 1 turkey (brined or not brined) Salt Seasonings of your choice (optional) Onions, carrots, and celery cut into large chunks (optional) Roasting pan 4 Tbsp. butter Meat thermometer For a quick run-down on the steps, from frozen to roast: TUESDAY: pulled turkey out of the freezer to thawWEDNESDAY: thawed turkey the rest of the way in cold water (you can use a five gallon bucket or a small cooler)THURSDAY: brined the turkeyFRIDAY:8:00am -- Pulled the turkey from the fridge, drained the brine juices, placed into roasting pan8:15am -- Let the turkey sit out for half hour to let it dry off a bit, set oven to 325F8:30am -- Melted the butter in a saucepan, brushed the butter onto the turkey skin, and sprinkled salt and/or seasonings on the turkey and inside its cavity9:00am -- Popped the turkey into the preheated oven9:30am, 10:00am, 10:30am, 11:00am -- Basted turkey with juices11:30am -- Stuck thermometer into breast and leg to ensure it was at 165F, removed the turkey from the oven, and let it cool12:15pm -- We ate the turkey Put your turkey into a roasting pan and pat it dry with paper towels. This step helps dry everything off so you get a nice, crispy skin. Let it sit for about a half hour to let it dry off a bit.While the turkey is drying, set your oven to 325F. Melt the butter, then use a pastry brush to coat the skin with it. This will help your turkey develop that nice, golden tone as it roasts (plus it tastes really good!) Sprinkle any seasonings your heart desires all over the turkey and inside the cavity. I like to use salt, garlic and onion powder, pepper, and smoked paprika. Note: if you brined the turkey, you will want to go easy on sprinkling any salt on the turkey, possibly even skip it. The turkey will already have absorbed the saltiness from the brine, so you won’t need much! Place any herbs or veggies (carrots, onions, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme, etc.) inside the cavity, then put into the oven.While the turkey is roasting, use your pastry brush to baste the turkey skin about every half hour or so. Otherwise, you are free to work on your other dinner prep!A rule of thumb is to roast for about 8 minutes per lb. But always use a thermometer! Sometimes the turkey will cook faster or slower, so go by the temperature of the meat rather than time. You’ll want both the breast and leg to reach 165F. You may find your breast meat reaches 165 before the leg - you can carve off the legs and leave in the oven to keep roasting without overcooking the rest of your turkey.Once it is finished cooking, take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving. This helps all the juices to redistribute through the meat rather than spilling out once you cut it open.Reserve your drippings from the turkey to make a delicious, rich gravy (recipe coming soon on the blog!).Enjoy a flavorful, moist, and nutritious turkey! Want to try this out for yourself? Grab one of our pasture-raised turkeys HERE for the best Thanksgiving turkey you’ve ever had! Cheers to you and your health! ~Bethany

Busy Mom's Tip #4: How to Create More Time

How do I create calm in the midst of chaos? I think most, if not all, of us can relate to this question. Life throws all sorts of things at us, and when you add little people and multiple schedules to that mix, it makes it so much more complicated. But what if it didn’t have to be? Obviously, we can’t control everything - sickness, emergencies, unexpected late nights at work, etc. all pop up. But when you create a base plan that allows for the unexpected bumps along the way, when you create little pockets of time that leave you refreshed and ready to return to life, you create a framework that enables you to live a fulfilled life. Recently, I was talking with another mom, and she phrased it this way: ‘Storms are inevitable, but we can be the eye of the storm, the center of calm for our crazy, chaotic lives.’ Personally, I can attest to it being difficult to implement time management and pre-planning. I always thought, “Pre-planning is not something I would like or ever thrive on.” And so I just lived life trying to keep it all in my head, to have ‘freedom’ to do what I wanted and needed to do as I had time. But my brain felt like popping popcorn, ideas and little things I remembered constantly exploding and reminding me of yet another thing to add to my day. When I finally started to implement time management, I found the exact opposite of what I always thought. I thrive on the freedom time management and planning ahead of time creates. It’s impossible for me to remember every little detail and thing to do in both my work life and personal life. But as soon as I get that all down on paper and a calendar and block off the time to do it, it suddenly doesn’t seem as daunting.  This week, Liz shares her tips on how she creates more time in her day in order to accomplish her goals. She also shares how she creates time for herself, because it is important to make time to recharge and return to what she calls ‘happy chaos.’ Tip #4: How to Create More Time “Plan, plan, plan! Talk with your spouse or support people to plan for a few hours a week to have kids and meal prep covered, and then a larger chunk (like a whole day!)  once a month or so. You could even plan a yearly time away at a retreat or conference that will feed your soul.  (Nursing babies usually come along, of course!) Meal plan so you are not stressed at meal time and so the type of prep you need to do fits the schedule for that day of the week.  It is amazing how simply feeling peaceful while you work seems to take less time and energy.  This also makes the shopping list easier to create and easier to keep trips to the store to a minimum, which both save time. (Also utilize your crockpot and one-pan recipes - they help save so much time spent in the kitchen!) Try to get the maximum from your time to yourself.  What types of leisure activities truly feed your soul, help you rest, and leave you feeling refreshed? You have to return to the happy chaos at the end of it all, so you don't want to come back feeling worn out or overstimulated. Time in nature, reading life-giving books, creating art or crafts, exercise, prayer/meditation/silence and connecting with loved ones are all examples of soul-feeding leisure that can be really refreshing even in very small bursts. Involve your family (especially kids!) in housework as much as possible. I am constantly asking myself, ‘Could a child do this task?’ This will also create moments together as you train a kid or work side-by-side.  When you have spent a lot of meaningful time with your family, you will feel more at peace with the decision to leave them or do your own thing for a little while. It will also leave you with a bit less on your own to-do list. Also teach your family to participate in and enjoy the activities that you love. One family chose to begin rock-climbing together so that Mom and Dad got to exercise, too, instead of spending their time driving kids to and from sports practices. Another hikes and runs together regularly for the same reason. I love to read good books that I love myself to my kids and to do family craft and cooking projects. Many families involve older kids in faith-related activities and parents trade off going with them. Suddenly you will need less time "away" because your life is more full of the things that nourish you and make you happy. Keep a little list of long-term projects or ready-at-hand activities that you want to get to ‘when you have time.’ That way you will have ideas of what to get into when little pockets of time present themselves. Enforce an afternoon quiet time for everyone until at least age 5.  Some families do it for even longer!  Audio books, repetitive crafts like potholder weaving or finger knitting, coloring/drawing, looking at picture books are great for those who no longer actually sleep during quiet time.  Early bed time for littles also helps a lot. Join a book club, Bible study, crafters' group, yoga class, etc. to have ‘appointment’ time to do something you love.  It is easier to make yourself go, and for your family to release you, when it is happening at a scheduled time and/or people are counting on you to show up!” Resources: A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot  Leisure, the Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper The Well-Read Life: Nourish Your Soul through Deep Reading and Intentional Friendship by Colleen Hutt and Marcie Stokman

Busy Mom's Tip #3: What Is Really Important?

The average person spends over $1,000 per year on subscription services. Think Netflix, Amazon, Instacart. Each year, Americans spend over $1 trillion on travel, which averages to about $3,000 per person per year. Every year, the USA wastes 38.5 million tons of food annually (that’s one of the most conservative statistics out there). Since the 1950s, the mineral and phytonutrient content of our food has decreased by 20-50%. Most Americans consume 50% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. The US spent $4.9 trillion in 2023 on healthcare, which averages $14,570 per person. Of that $4.9 trillion, 90% goes toward treating chronic and mental conditions. Compared to the $4.9 trillion spent on healthcare, USA citizens spend just $1.7 T on food, which averages to $5,054 per person. Currently, about 6 out of 10 adults struggle with chronic disease, and 23% of American teens are diabetic. Perhaps these disturbing statistics reveal something about the priorities of most modern Americans. Could it be the societal norm of expecting and budgeting around cheap food compromises our own health and that of our loved ones? At Whiffletree, we believe food is medicine. What we eat is who we are, which I think the above statistics point out. And I get it - I am a single gal living on a single person income in a very expensive place to live. It’s not always easy to make ends meet, especially if you have little mouths to feed. This week, Liz Straight shares some tips and ideas that might help you as you figure out how to make your budget include nourishing food. These are ways she and Jesse have implemented these practices into their lives in order to afford high quality food, which allows them to give their kids the very best they can and provide them with a healthy foundation for living life. No, it’s not always easy. But is it worth it? They say yes. Tip #3: How to budget around what is most important to you “When deciding what you will spend food money on, start out by deciding what you care most about getting top quality without compromise. For our family, it is meat, eggs, raw milk, fats, and oils that we don’t compromise quality on. We put those items into our budget first. Then we decide what items we are okay with compromising quality in order to make our food budget work. An example for us would be some fruits and veggies. We’ll sometimes try to compromise and pick local apples that are low spray rather than buying organic apples that are shipped from across the country. I’ll also go off the ‘dirty dozen’ guidelines (a guideline you can find online for fruits and veggies in the grocery store that are heavily sprayed vs ones that aren’t) for when I am purchasing produce from a grocery store. Or things like a condiment that has corn syrup I won’t get, but in a pinch I will buy one that has healthier fats or cane sugar in it. For money, there will always be a limit to what you can spend.  But if you look at your actual budget, there may be more available for quality food than you think.  Are there any entertainment subscriptions you can cut?  Do you eat out regularly and could you start to make one more meal per week at home?  Things like that. Sometimes, sacrifice and practicality are necessary. Some examples for us are: I don’t often buy premade items. For instance I will get whole dates, nuts, or chocolate chips, but I won’t purchase Larabars. Either we eat the whole food items as they are or I make them into a bar myself. Try to save on clothing wherever possible, making use of secondhand, consignment, and discount shopping.Travel budgets and entertainment services aren’t big parts of our budget.Even our home has gone through slow renovation rather than being done all at once so our budget could be spread across things that mattered.Etc. If your time allows, doing things to grow your own food is also helpful. Maybe you can garden or grow herbs on your patio, or raise a few backyard chickens. There is an unexpected satisfaction in eating food you have raised yourself, and is also great for kids to be able to learn alongside you. Eating quality food as a priority isn’t always easy. Modern life isn’t set up to make healthy eating the path of least resistance, but with practice and energy and time up front, it becomes a routine method of life that doesn’t dominate you.  While like every family we’ll have the flu once in a while or colds come through, we thankfully don’t deal with chronic health issues. The kids also know the basics of cooking and gardening and caring for animals which may help them someday in their own adult lives. And the blessing of being able to give our kids a good foundation so they have strength and health to navigate life with is a privilege.”