W

hitmore Farm is a Certified Organic farm in Maryland specializing in heritage, primarily American breed livestock raised on pasture.

We are relatively new to farming and began our operation full time in 2007.

In many ways, not having a background in farming has allowed us the freedom to examine 'traditional' farming practices (in use for the last 75 years in the United States) and consider alternatives.

Generally, we have found that real traditional practices (as used for the previous 10,000 years or so prior to the 1940's) are more sustainable and produce a higher quality, healthier product for our meat customers.

Most of these practices have fallen out of favor amongst factory farms because they don't lend themselves to confinement operations and require free-access to pasture, fresh air, and sunshine.

The USDA has added to the confusion by creating classifications of production like free-range, cage-free, and even organic-production that skirt their purpose.

Our mission for Whitmore Farm is:

- To promote rare livestock breeds and preserve important genetic diversity.

- Rebuild and protect the infrastructure of  the farm and the 18th Century farmhouse and wonderful Edwardian bank barn.

- Provide a healthy, pasture-based environment for our animals and to treat them humanely and with respect throughout their lives.

- To provide healthy food that is not based on a commercial, 'factory farming' model to our customers.

- To provide a work environment for our employees that pays a fair, liveable wage and a work environment that encourages young people to enter farming as a viable career.

- To use sustainable agricultural practices that respect the land and don't harm the environment unnecessarily.

Our goods are available at the Glover Park/Burleith Farmer's Market, FreshFarm Bethesda Farmers Market, through direct on-farm sales, and via deliveries to select restaurants in the Frederick & DC Metro area.

Please feel free to e-mail and schedule a visit to the farm to sample some of our products and to take in the beautiful pastures and scenery of central Maryland. We are 1 hour and 15 minutes from both downtown Washington and Baltimore, about 20 miles north of Frederick, Maryland, on the edge of the scenic Catoctin Mountain range.

We encourage you to come and see the animals we raise and welcome the chance to talk with you about the importance of protecting livestock diversity, to rebuild a sustainable agricultural system, and produce food that is actually healthy for people to eat.

We currently raise Katahdin sheep, ...we are members of ALBC and Slow Food USA. Tennessee Fainting Goats, Hereford and Gloucester Old Spot Hogs, Silver Fox Rabbits, and Delaware, Welsumer, Ameracauna, Marans, and other rare breed chickens.