Every Monday is Member Photo Monday where we feature a member photo on our Instagram and Facebook pages. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is proud of our members, and we take great pleasure in highlighting their operations and the awesome work they are conducting in sustainable farming, animal husbandry, artisanal production, and homesteading. See below for a roundup of January’s member photos!
Whiffletree Farm
Jesse Straight, farmer and founder of Whiffletree Farm, was born and raised in Fauquier County, Virginia. After finishing studies in religion and pre-med at UVA, marrying Liz, and working in Charlottesville, Jesse read a book by Wendell Berry that inspired him to learn more about farming through reading, visiting farmers, and making forays into small farming ventures. In 2009 Jesse and Liz moved back to be near his family and old friends and to start their farm business. By 2012 the business was in need of additional acreage and so the Straights moved to Whiffletree Farm, where they have been ever since. They enjoy living and farming just three miles from Jesse’s hometown of Warrenton and are proud to serve many families and restaurants throughout Virginia. They raise pastured broiler chickens, laying hens, and turkeys; foraging pork; and 100% grass fed beef. All animals are moved to fresh ground often and not given any chemicals, hormones, or antibiotics.
DS Family Farm
Doug and Sheila Garrison own and operate the 70-acre DS Family Farm in Malcolm, Nebraska. DS Family Farm is home to a Red Angus-Devon cross, grassfed beef herd. The DS Family Farm herd is constantly on the move, given a fresh patch of pasture almost every day of the year. This management mimics nature and how large herds of herbivores have shaped almost all places on earth. As the herd moves it creates a mosaic across the landscape that provides habitat for all kinds of other local wildlife species; the herd is the keystone species. Cattle health is maintained with fresh forage daily and prairies are allowed to fully recover before the herd returns. The herd grazes the farm’s 70 acres as well as 80 on land in the Conservation Reserve Program. The Garrisons started their farm with the goal to heal: heal soil, grazing lands, water cycles, wildlife, and especially neighbors and friends looking for healthy pastured meat products. The Garrisons sell grassfed beef and pastured chicken.
Windy Acres Dairy
Billie Wheeler-Johnson owns and operates Windy Acres Dairy on 20 acres in Prineville, Oregon. Windy Acres was purchased in 1994 as a hobby farm. Now she milks 20 cows once a day and operates on a herd share program. The cows live on pasture and are supplemented with orchard grass in the winter and are not given hormones or antibiotics. Herd share members can receive fresh raw milk, cultured butter, heavy cream, colostrum, yogurt, and sour cream. In addition to herd share memberships, Billie sells cheeses, honey, pasture-raised eggs, veal, lamb, and pork. She hosts a yearly educational event featuring wool spinning and cheese and soap making. This unique black-legged lamb was born on her farm. Billie has been a long-time member and volunteer with FTCLDF, for which we’re grateful. She is searching for an apprentice interested in taking over the business.
Kathy Lynch
Kathy Lynch holds her egg-laying chicken named Molly. She finds that three chickens is a good number for her family’s egg supply. A Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader for Westford, Massachusetts, Kathy helps community members find the healthiest sources of food. She is Vice Chair for Healthy Westford and is committed to helping community members maintain and improve their health.
Membership
Thank you to all of our wonderful members! We are membership-based and couldn’t do the work we do without you! Learn more about membership here.
If you’re a member and would like to share your photos with us, email [email protected] for more details.
YOUR FUND AT WORK
Services provided by FTCLDF go beyond legal representation for members in court cases.
Educational and policy work also provide an avenue for FTCLDF to build grassroots activism to create the most favorable regulatory climate possible. In addition to advising on bill language, FTCLDF supports favorable legislation via action alerts and social media outreach.
You can protect access to real foods from small farms by becoming a member or donating today.