FARM PROFILE Whittaker's Homestead: Transplanting a Sustainable Life

Zack Whittaker grew up just down the road from Breshear's Farmstand and Greenhouse in Alstead, watching the fields get planted and the greenhouses fill each spring. &emsp;&emsp;When the farm went up for sale in 2014, Zack had recently graduated from the Thomas School for Agriculture at UNH. He and his high school sweetheart, Lizz, purchased and moved to the farm that same year. They reopened for business as Whittaker's Homestead in 2015. &emsp;&emsp;Some things have intentionally remained the same. Both Zack and Lizz believe in the importance of local agriculture to a community. Zack plants the fields each spring and Lizz seeds and pots up the nursery plants. But not everything is the same. Both the produce and the nursery plants have diversified. They also use organic methods. Although they find the cost of organic certification cost prohibitive at this time, they hope to certify in the future. &emsp;&emsp;It is not just growing methods that must adapt and change with the times; it is also the way farmers market their products and connect with customers. &emsp;&emsp;When Breshear's was in business, it was adequate advertising just to have an open farm stand. The farm stand remains a vital part of connecting with the community, but Lizz knows that now customers expect a web presence. This leaves farmers with a difficult decision: learning a whole new skill set separate from farming or hiring costly help. Lizz feels that her business and marketing degree from Full Sail University prepared her to address these challenges head-on. &emsp;&emsp;She designed their farm logo with a hand-lettered font framed by farm icons, including flowers, animals, a polytunnel and a tractor. She also designed and manages their website where customers can learn more about their products and pre-order nursery stock. The online pre-order inventory includes more than 200 options of annuals and perennials. Customers can fill their online carts for pick-up with whimsical flower monikers such as Magic Fountain, Flutter Rose and Party Girl. &emsp;&emsp;Lizz trialed this pre-order system in the spring of 2019, almost prophetic of the COVID-19 increase in online sales. During the spring of 2020 and again in 2021, this online order system allowed her customers to shop for spring flowers remotely. By pre-ordering, customers eliminated time spent in the greenhouse and expedited pick-up. It also guaranteed the plants they were looking to buy. Ultimately the system will also give Lizz more information about the plants customers want most. &emsp;&emsp;Lizz also manages a Facebook page for the farm and an Instagram account, and a YouTube channel. Some of the videos are narrated, while others are more documentary style. While the style of the videos may not all be consistent, what is consistent is that all of the videos show a high level of transparency. One video shows Lizz in the greenhouse transplanting plants in the afternoon after a long morning of sinus surgery, another is a farm tour, while a third is Lizz making dinner. If you are interested in what your local farmers are doing, these types of videos can help you feel more connected and answer questions you may have about the inner workings of the farm. &emsp;&emsp;In mid-April, the greenhouses at Whittaker's homestead "are packed to the brim," says Lizz. &emsp;&emsp;Lizz spends the winter months ordering plants and seeds from Jolly Farmer, Johnny's Select Seed and Baker's Creek, making sure she will have what her customers want come May. Spring means planting and potting upwards of 30,000 flower, vegetable and herb starts. This number doesn't account for the hundreds of plants that Lizz starts from seed. &emsp;&emsp;By the end of April, Zack will have planted the long high tunnels with tomatoes, hot peppers and other heat-loving plants. Come summer, the plants will start fruiting, and the fields will be filled with summer squash, cucumbers, peas, salad greens, beets, garlic and fresh herbs. &emsp;&emsp;The farm stand season at Whittaker's Homestead typically starts May 1 and runs through the end of October. The stand is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays. There, customers can buy produce from the farm. During the sweet berry seasons, the farm stand also carries strawberries from Peachblow Farms in Charlestown, New Hampshire, blueberries from Comstock Farm in Alstead, and Blueberry Acres in Acworth. They also sell corn from Harlows in Westminster, Vermont and honey from New Hampshire Honey Bee of Gilsum, New Hampshire. &emsp;&emsp;During the summer season, the Whittakers also sell their plants and produce at the Farmers' Market of Keene from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Additionally, Whittaker Homestead nursery plants are available at Hidden Treasures flea Market in Swanzey. &emsp;&emsp;Whittaker's approach relies on diversity. Zach plants the fields with many different kinds of crops, relying on the strength of one to carry the season if another fails. In the nursery, Lizz grows annual vegetables, as well as annual and perennial flowers, herbs, succulents and cacti, which attracts gardening customers of all kinds. One can connect with the farm in many ways, through food or plants, in person or on the internet. BOX: Whittakers HomesteadHours of Operation: Wed-Sunday 10-6Find us at The Farmers Market of KeeneTues 3-6 & Sat 9-1 End of April-October236 Forest RoadAlstead, NH 03602PH: 603-835-8179Email: Whittakershomestead@gmail.com@whittakershomestead on Facebook