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.

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.

I can’t think of a soul who wouldn’t want to read an article entitled The Jámon Went Down To Georgia, although there is no connection to the Charlie Daniels Band song The Devil Went Down To Georgia. The eloquent author is Maryn McKenna, writing about a “Spanish hog,” as our Director of Livestock John Benoit calls it. The Jámon has replaced the devil himself and is now living in South Georgia. In Bluffton, to be exact. McKenna’s keen observations of these rare, exquisite creatures allow readers the privilege of sharing her experience in their mind’s eyes.

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.

Lewis Rickerson, purveyor of antiques and pecans from his own business, came to White Oak Pastures to supplement his income. Lewis states that trying to describe White Oak Pastures is “impossible, because it just can’t be described in one word.” I am confident in describing Lewis as one who has never met a stranger and one who is always friendly, informative, and helpful. If you haven’t met Lewis in our General Store in downtown Bluffton, I invite you to drop by and meet this southern gentleman.

Inspiration can come from people, places, or things, and we never know when or from where our inspiration may come. For Denna Peterson, it emerged from the process of remodeling. She started making her own chandeliers and furniture, then moved on to painting the inside of her home. Her husband, Chris, swore they were losing square footage in the house because of the numerous layers of paint. An acquaintance commissioned Denna to collect oyster shells to form “oyster trees.” Denna had never created anything like that, but said she would “give it a whirl”. This was the first piece of art Denna sold.