Meet the Team: Akili

Meet the Team: Kelly

Kelly Barnes interned with Whiffletree in the fall of 2022, then came on as a full time employee. With a million dollar smile, the best organizing abilities in the world, and a heart full of love for people, we’re so blessed to have her as part of our team. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Columbia, MO and moved to Fredericksburg, VA in 2000. What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? Prior to farming, I was a carpenter and a caregiver. For several years, I worked on a farm one day a week, growing and harvesting vegetables. I was a Whiffletree customer for seven years before starting my internship here. What inspired you to become a farmer? I’ve struggled with chronic health issues for over half my life time. Eating chemical free food for even just a month produced such a dramatic reduction in the severity of my symptoms. This discovery steered my life in a new direction. Learning to produce food that could assist in healing my body rather than making me sicker became my goal. Studying nutrition became my hobby. Working on a farm became my dream. What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? Some things that I didn't expect to learn from farming: How accurately cartoons depict animal characteristics and tendencies. How relatable Jesus’s parables are to a farmer. How deceptive marketing is regarding conventionally farmed food What do you hope to accomplish through farming? Someday I hope to utilize my farming experience in mission work, teaching people practical skills to provide for their families and communities. I would love to help victims rescued from human trafficking heal and build new lives. Most memorable Whiffletree experience? My most memorable Whiffletree experience is planting a six foot snake skin in a city-boy intern’s car for him to discover later. What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? My favorite animals are the cattle and the turkeys. The cattle are so peaceful to watch as they graze. Sometimes they skip around you in excitement when you move them to fresh pasture. The turkeys are so full of personality and interactive. They are curious and like to talk back to you. Seeing them strut around and fan their wings when they are only 6 inches tall is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Favorite hobby? Or favorite things you like to do when not working? Studying the Bible is one of my favorite ways to spend my time off. I also enjoy gardening, foraging, sewing, making jewelry, reading books and listening to music. Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? Beef short ribs with a homemade rub are one of my favorite things to make. Slow cooked in a crock pot, they come out perfect every time. They are even delicious cold, for a quick leftovers lunch on the go.

Meet the Team: Carmen

Carmen Ashwell is Whiffletree’s longest employee. For those of you who know her, you know what a fun person she is to be around… always ready with a word of encouragement, a funny personality that magnetizes people, a great and cheerful worker, and a gal of integrity. Read on to get a glimpse of the amazing person Carmen is! Where did you grow up? Any siblings? I grew up in Beautiful Bristow Virginia (beautiful is sarcastic… Bristow is typical bland suburbia). Siblings? Oh, I got some of those…nine to be exact! Before you ask, I am number 4! Two brothers and seven sisters, just as loud as it sounds! What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? Was a very, very busy travel soccer player! Also worked at Chick-fil-a, awesome job by the way, can’t recommend enough! What inspired you to become a farmer? I have always LOVED animals! Steve Irwen was a huge inspiration to little Carmen, RIP Steve. I knew I wanted to work with my hands so farming has been a great fit! What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? So sorry to be morbid but what I really didn’t expect to learn is how to slaughter chickens and put down sick or injured chickens. I never thought I would be able to do it because I love animals but I learned that reducing suffering shows respect for the animal and that is more important than my comfort. Again, sorry to be morbid, but now I’m a pro! How has farming benefited you? Farming has given me strength and confidence! I have gotten much more physically strong since I have been on the farm, I feel very capable! Farming gives me LOTS of opportunities for problem solving! At first I didn’t trust my judgment and asked for help at every decision point, now I make many decisions independently and with confidence, this is a big boost to my self esteem! What do you hope to accomplish through farming? Animal welfare! I am so proud to work at Whiffletree where our animals are treated with care and respect! I love to help make their lives happy and healthy! How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here? From intern, to brooder manager, to delivery driver, to wholesale manager, Neighborhood Delivery management, primary Farm Store coverage, I have done many, many things! I took up Sunday chores last year and have been enjoying it so much! Great to do what I came here for, care for animals! Most memorable Whiffletree experience? Oh boy where to begin… I can’t pick just one! As an intern, during one of my first few weeks, Jesse took me out to the cattle to receive a hay delivery. We didn’t have a tractor with us but wanted to spread the hay throughout the paddock so Jesse asked the driver to drive around the paddock and we would push the bales off as he drove! We put our backs against one row of bales and stretched our legs out to kick the bales off of the moving trailer! We placed them well and it was soooo satisfying to watch the bales roll off the trailer! So fun! Another favorite was the great turkey escape of 2020! It was the middle of the day…I received a text that turkeys were out and it was all hands on deck! I ran to get my flag, a big red flag I used to shoo hens indoors. Out into the field I went and raised my giant red flag over my head to shoo the turkeys back into their netting, worked like a charm! I feel guilty saying it, but I sort of love chaos on the farm, big storms, birds out, cattle out, water down, etc. Love working as a team to figure out a problem! What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? Pigs!!! They are smart, cuddly, messy, and absolutely adorable! Such a carefree and beautiful lifestyle, and I think they love naps as much as I do! Favorite hobby? Or favorite things you like to do when not working? Favorite hobby is caring for my dog, Doctor Beverly Crusher (Know as Crush or Crusher). When I am not working, I am reading, spending time with friends and my fiance, and as of recently, swimming! Favorite food? Peruvian Chicken, yuca, sweet plantains, and chicha morada. That’s really a meal but they all belong together! Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? Ropa Vieja with our Chuck Roast. My mothers recipe calls for Flank Steak (which is incredible!) but living alone in my early 20’s had me getting creative to keep things budget friendly! I made it with Chuck Roast for team lunch and it came out delicious! I was so proud and I think if my mom had tasted it she would have been too!

Meet the Team: Bethany

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!

Meet the Team: Akili

Where did you grow up? Any siblings?

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

What inspired you to become a farmer?

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

How has a farming internship benefited you?

What do you hope to accomplish through farming?

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

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

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

Favorite food?

Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item?

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Meet the Team: Kelly

Meet the Team: Carmen

Meet the Team: Bethany

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