Meet the Team: Bethany

written by

Bethany Fisher

posted on

January 8, 2025

Next in our ‘Meet the Team’ series on our blog, here’s a little about myself (Bethany here!).

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the heart of Minnesota. Gravel roads, small towns (I mean very small…my town had a population of 300 and the next closest ‘town’ was only 80!), rolling hills, lakes and woods…that was home for me! 

What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree?

I pursued music composition and creative writing for about five years before deciding it wasn’t for me. I also worked a couple office jobs in that time as well as doing the bookkeeping for my dad’s business (which I still am able to do remotely!).

What inspired you to become a farmer?

I am a country girl. I love the wide open spaces, going outside where it’s just me and nature, no sights or sounds of the city. I’ve always loved the idea of having my own little farm. I grew up gardening,  and I loved setting the dinner table knowing everything except the proteins came from our own land. Every year, our family would also can and preserve anywhere from 300-450 quarts of  garden produce. It was always in the back of my mind that it would be great if all our meat, eggs, and dairy came from our land too, but I thought unless you were born into a family who farmed or had land you just couldn’t do it. In 2022, after I decided music and writing weren’t what I wanted for a career, I explored other options…which brought me back to my girlhood dream of farming. After looking into it, I realized there are far more opportunities to get started in farming than I thought! I pursued learning about farming through internships in Minnesota, England, and Virginia, and it’s been quite the adventure!

What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you?

Something that has been reinforced to me is the value of the little things in life. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of everyday life, but slowing down to enjoy the time I get to work with friends, the stunning nature around me, the amazing animals we care for…life is made up of all the little moments.

How has farming benefited you?

Farming has benefited me in multiple ways. I have come to have a much deeper appreciation of the healthy food we are able to eat and the hard work that goes into raising it. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet and work with some incredible people who have all had a hand in teaching me and helping me grow both in my learning and as a person. And while I’ve always loved nature, farming teaches the ways of nature to you in a very real way, so getting to experience that has been amazing.

What do you hope to accomplish through farming?

Whether it’s through having a farm of my own one day or working with other farms, I hope to be able to provide a place where good, nutritious food is produced, where our land is cared for, and where people’s lives and relationships are nourished.

How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here?

I started out as an intern in August 2023, then was hired on full time for a few months after that. In those few months I managed our freezers, did a trial run managing wholesale, helped customers in the farm store, and assisted tracking and organizing data. I returned to Whiffletree full time September 2024, and I now manage wholesale, marketing, communications, and events.

Most memorable Whiffletree experience?

The second day of my internship at Whiffletree, we were short-staffed so I had to go feed and gather the eggs from our two laying flocks alone. When I arrived at the first flock, the hens were extremely hungry and were gathering close to the poultry net where the truck was parked. As soon as I turned the electricity off, the hens started swarming the fence, toppling it over and almost escaping. I don’t know that there’s anything as terrifying to an intern as hundreds of hens trying to escape. I still don’t know how I managed to keep the hens in but somehow I did…narrow escape!

What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why?

The cattle! They’re such amazing creatures! There’s something very calming about going out to the field and watching them contentedly grazing. I love their curiosity…stand there long enough and they’ll slowly make their way closer to you trying to figure you out. And I love their playfulness…watching them jump and skip when they get a new paddock of grass or when they tussle with one another…it’s fun to watch.

Favorite hobby?  Or favorite things you like to do when not working? 

Hiking, music, art, and refinishing furniture are a few of my favorites!

Favorite food?

Bibimbap! It’s a Korean dish (my mom is Korean). Rice topped with Korean barbecued beef, kimchi, and assorted stir-fried veggies…it’s delicious!

Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item?

Stir-fries with ground beef or fajita strips, balsamic glazed chicken, or a good ole burger are a few of my favorites!

More from the blog

A Tribute to Wendell Berry from a Farmer Who Didn't Listen to His Advice

A Tribute to Wendell Berry from a Farmer Who Didn't Listen to His Advice

If you didn't hear, Wendell Berry passed away yesterday. I am indebted to Berry. In 2005 I had just graduated from college, and Liz and I were just married. And I was floundering a bit. Eager to set to some good work and to make a good life, but at a loss as to how to go about that. In terms of work and career I was all over the place--maybe med school, maybe seminary, maybe start a music festival, maybe go into audio documentary, maybe.... A friend of Liz and mine had recently spent a week visiting Berry, and sent us his short novel, A World Lost. We read it and loved it! It bit me. I was hooked. I read all of Berry's fiction that year. I read any chance I got--I remember reading at red lights. It was his vision of the good life and his critique of our modern life that captured my imagination. A big point of his is that fundamentally humans are happiest when their lives are as integrated as possible. I will get into what that means. But in contradiction to that, modern society has us "dis-integrated"--people don't live where they grew up, families don't live near each other, home and work are disconnected, children's lives and adult lives are disconnected, people are disconnected from food production, the work of the home is outsourced--no one makes anything at their home--it is only a place of ready-made consumption. Modernity is about specialization and outsourcing; and therefore dis-integration. And this has been an effective way to generate cash-wealth. If we all max our earning potential, and outsource all the work we can pay someone else to do more cheaply, then our bank accounts are ahead. So while this modern life has generated lots of cash-wealth, it has not done such a good job of making people happy. And Berry's point is that human lives are most full and most happy when they have this level of humane integratedness, rootedness, connection, localized knowledge, intimacy with your people and place; and when all the parts of your life are all intermeshed as possible--children, work, religion, home-making, neighbors, extended family, and your 3rd grade teacher are all mixed up and jumbled up in inter-crossing lines of familiarity and connection. This made a lot of sense to me, and caught me by the heart. I wanted this life of intimacy, connection, rootedness, care, friendship. That was step 1. Step 2 was coming across Joel Salatin's writings. Berry was the poet that wooed me to this idea of a good life. Salatin was the technician who laid out a compelling and reasonable plan for a novice like me to get into regenerative farming, do some good by healing land/animals/people, and actually provide a living for my family. So after doing a bunch of reading, and befriending farmers like Salatin, I decided I want to write a thank you letter to Berry. In my 1st letter I thank Berry for all his writings and let him know how he has benefited me, and let him know that I am making moves to get into regenerative farming. He sends back the below letter which is very kind and all, but essentially tells me to not go into full time farming. Ha! I remember reading that aghast, and a little angry--"this Berry guy thinks I am a fool and naive and have no idea what I am getting into--well, I will show him!" was about what I was thinking. So I take a deep breath, cool off a bit and write him back--pushing back and saying all the ways I have done my due diligence, and how I have a reasonable plan (and essentially, that "I am not a fool and naive, and I am a big grown up boy, thank you very much!"--Ha!). He then sends me back his very Berry-esque letter, which says essentially--"hey if you really want to get into farming, my advice isn't going to stop you." So Berry. Well, fast forward about 3 years from that letter. Liz and I had moved from Charlottesville back to my hometown of Warrenton (a very Berry-inspired move to be back in my hometown and near my family), and we had started Whiffletree Farm. I was working part time doing handyman work, while getting the farm business going. Berry had just published a new book of poetry and was making a reading stop at UVA. A friend involved with his stop at UVA invited us to a VIP reading. We went, and it was great. And then afterwards, there was some time where I could go up and speak to Berry. I went up and reminded him who I was and about our exchange of letters. And I told him how I was executing on this plan to ease into full time regenerative farming, with the handyman business, without going into debt, and how the farm business was growing, and that pretty soon we would be able to go full time. To this day, I can remember his reaction. It is a highlight of my life. He pumped his arm and said emphatically, "YES! This is how you have to do it!" It was my hero slapping me on the back. Major tingles. I was flying so high. My life could have gone in a lot of directions--some not so great. I was a pretty confused young man, and looking for direction. Liz and I are so grateful to Berry for his influence on us--his challenge to resist the current of modernity that prioritizes cash-wealth, and instead to go after an integrated life that prioritizes rootedness, connection, stability, sacrifice, friendship, care. It is still a daily challenge, but worth the fight! God bless Wendell Berry. Jesse Straight

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Whiffletree Farm

8717 Springs Road
Warrenton VA 20186
(540) 935-0600

info@whiffletreefarmva.com

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