Conventional farming practices often work
against the nature of the land and animals.
Pastures are overgrazed, animals are stressed, and toxic feeds and chemicals are used to save money and band-aid the systemic problems. This all creates an ecological disaster that leaves our land infertile, our animals miserable, and our food lacking nutrition and containing toxins.
Here, we do things differently.
Our farming practices aim to collaborate with nature, in a way that benefits everything involved-- land, animals, and people. To collaborate in this way, it is critical to recognize and facilitate the natural cycle found in all healthy ecosystems: movement, nourishment, then rest.
Movement and fresh pasture is our secret sauce,
and what makes our farming and food so special.
Movement and fresh pasture, and rest and movement! And this is what most farmers are not doing because it is hard, tricky, labor-intensive, and risky. It takes a lot of work and planning and intelligence to move animals around fresh pasture. Mobile infrastructure is vulnerable to weather events. Stationary steel and concrete buildings give a lot of control and labor saving--but they give up everything on providing animals and land with natural system of life and health. Like I said, movement in farming is tricky--BUT, it is was nature asks of us to follow her ways. And this is what we are bringing to you, so that everyone and everything benefits, start to finish.
MOVE
Naturally, animals are designed to be on the move towards clean ground and fresh forages
Regular rotational moves using mobile shelters and paddocks gives access to fresh ground, new foraging, and grasses
Our meat chickens move to fresh pasture daily
Our egg-laying hens move to fresh half acre paddocks 3 times per week
Our cattle move to fresh pasture every 1 to 3 days
NOURISH
Flocks and herds nourish the land--the land provides nutrition to our animals that ends up in our food
We utilize the natural grazing of our animals to stimulate and fertilize the land
As the land is nourished, each flock and herd can access greater amounts of nutrition in the forages and soils
Well-managed land and animals do not need chemical interventions to control weeds, pests, or diseases. This means we keep those poisons out of our food.
REST
Periodic animal impact is beneficial, but land needs to rest properly to metabolize that impact
We give our lands an average of 30 to 90 days of rest before they are grazed again which allows for the land to metabolize the stimulation and fertilization of the animal impact, which in turn allows the land become even more fertile
These periods of rest prevent pathogens from having a stationary and easy host, thereby naturally breaking up pathogen cycles. This is why we don't need chemical wormers or antibiotics.
The outcomes that make our
process worthwhile for you
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Nutrient-Dense
Regenerative farming makes our lands healthier each year. Healthy land yields healthy animals, and superior nutrition for you and your family. What is more important to your health than the things you put in your mouth three times per day that become you?
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Toxin-Free
Our natural cyclical management of our land and animals means we don't use toxic chemicals and GMO's. You can rest easy knowing you aren't putting chemicals that are meant to kill biology in your body.
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Direct from the source
You will be happier knowing who is raising your food and that you can truly trust us to raise it the way you see and hear from us.
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No guilt, just happiness
Fully enjoy the knowledge that your food choice is benefiting your loved ones, the land, animals, the farmers, and our community!
Our Farming Partners
We raise and sell chicken, pork, turkey, eggs, and beef. Check out all of our Farming Partners who raise what we don't raise, and who fill in the gaps of our production
Whiffletree Farm
8717 Springs Road
Warrenton VA 20186
(540) 935-0600
info@whiffletreefarmva.com
Store Hours: M - F 11AM to 5PM; Sa 10AM to 5PM