Alfred Foster is what we refer to as an “Old-Timer” here at White Oak Pastures with his tenth year of employment approaching in December. Alfred grew up in North Carolina where his father served in the military. His family was then stationed in Montgomery, AL. From Montgomery, Alfred moved to Blakely, GA where his mother was a beautician. Alfred’s extended family is woven into the history at White Oak Pastures and plays a role in bringing Alfred to the farm.
Denna Peterson, who is our Accounts Payable Manager, recently led a Skull Painting workshop and shares the experience she and her “Skull Crew” had.
When Jenni (Harris) stepped into the office and asked if we knew what “gumption” was, I was pleased to say that yes, in fact, I DO know what gumption is. She explained that her dad, Will, was just dumbfounded that she and her sister, Jodi, didn’t know what gumption meant. Will’s experience indicated that the meaning of gumption is lost to the younger generation. My intention for posting Will’s words of wisdom is for there to be a revival, of some sort, of this word, but not just the word. A revival of the character it takes to have gumption, which is the core of what is lacking in this day and age. Ironically, even though Will’s daughters had not heard of gumption, much less what it meant, they both inherited MORE than their fair share from their dad. That is one of the highest...
White Oak Pastures invites you to join Fashion Design Professor, Wanda Brown, who retired from Florida State University, along with our leather craftswomen, Alena Ivakhnenko and Rysa Ruth, to fashion a beautiful leather clutch. By adhering to White Oak Pastures' no-waste tenet, we are given the opportunity to fabricate clutches from the hides of our grass-fed cattle.
In a victory for White Oak Pastures and for small farms in America, The National Appeals Division (NAD) of the Farm Service Administration (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, determined that the farm is entitled to compensation for the loss and destruction of its poultry due to bald eagle attacks. To date, White Oak Pastures estimates that bald eagles have destroyed nearly 160,000 chickens, resulting in over $2,200,000 in losses. The decision followed years of disputes between the farm and the FSA, the organization responsible for compensating producers and farmers under the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The NAD ruling determined that FSA failed to follow its own rules for...
Historically, people have used herbs as a primary treatment for wounds and ailments, as well as skin, scalp, and hair problems. Herbs are seen as the forerunner to over-the-counter skin care and first aid ointments currently used. As modern medicine developed, herbs were put on the back burner by the majority, but there has been a resurgence and proven validity as to their value. Today, herbal treatments remain a primary part of the healthcare industry.
Bluffton, Georgia and Waverly, Alabama: two small towns that are not familiar to many. At a distance of 114 miles and a state border, these communities have many similar characteristics than at initial glance. Members of the White Oak Pastures team traveled to Waverly, AL on July 28th to participate in the Heart of Waverly BBQ ‘18 Festival. The Standard Deluxe was the host of 5 bands and 3 BBQ vendors with over 600 attendees.
July 2009 is when Justin Wiley, fondly referred to as “Buck,” stepped in to help his good friend, Chase Floyd, in the cutting room at White Oak Pastures’ red meat abattoir. Buck’s career began when he was hired as a butcher at White Oak Pastures. The company grew, and grew quickly. Buck states he “learned the ins and outs of the red meat plant and was promoted to Beef Plant Manager. It wasn’t an easy process at all, but I’m most proud of that accomplishment.”
It’s always fascinating how things “come to pass,” as they say. The greatest success stories are usually centered around someone stumbling upon an idea while participating in something they love, creating something they love or sharing what they love with others. Such is the case with the makers of J&J’s Private Reserve Habanero Sauce, Jerry and Susan Pece. When buying out their original business partner and becoming a family-owned business, they named their company using the nicknames of their two daughters, Allison and Kate. “Al and Kate” became Alan Cate Industries, LLC.
The Organic Garden has had a successful season here at White Oak Pastures. With that success comes an overabundance of a variety of Certified Organic produce. While each manager on the farm is able to operate their department as an almost independent business, we frequently come together to develop creative solutions to keep White Oak Pastures running as a zero-waste and regenerative farm.
As I reflected on Will Harris’ explanation of the Internship Program at White Oak Pastures, a similarity ran through my mind. Will and Ray Kinsella, the farmer played by Kevin Costner in the 1989 film Field Of Dreams, share a common experience, so to speak. Ray was a baseball fan who either audibly or subconsciously kept hearing “If you build it, he will come.” “He” did come and brought enough men with him to play baseball games in the middle of the farm.
Like that farmer, Will Harris heard the call, but on a much larger scale, and he actually did hear them. He heard the voice of many, very loudly and clearly, time after time, asking to come to White Oak Pastures, and he stepped up to the plate. Will embraced his legacy, this farm, and built White Oak Pastures. Men and women, young and...
White Oak Pastures is a model of the highest standards of animal welfare, holistic farm management, and regenerative agriculture. Our Internship/Apprenticeship Program allows us to expose and train each intern in the different departments incorporated under the White Oak Pastures’ umbrella. Although production and processing are the two main components, there are subdivisions under each of these components. Our production model includes grassfed cattle, sheep, and goats with pastured poultry, hogs, and rabbits. We also have eggs from our pasture-raised poultry and certified organic vegetables. Because of these endeavors, we benefit from the “ripple effect” and can train interns in culinary arts, tallow, leather, and other artisan production, composting, carpentry, farm infrastructure...
