It started just a few years ago, on Whippoorwill Way in Hardeeville, South Carolina. An unlikely pair, Marissa Paykos and James Young, then neighbors, realized they shared so much more than just a street address. They shared a love for all things simple, all things real, all things dictated by mother nature. Their first dates were spent picking 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes that would later be canned, camping trips to Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State Parks and sitting around many fires on many starry nights talking about the things that made them feel alive while Whippoorwills sang their spring time songs in the night. It didn’t take long for the pair to realize that the things that made them feel alive, included each other too.
Fast forward to today and 40 acres now house their small farm operation that James and Marissa have built from the ground up. What had originally began as two small raw acres in Jasper County, SC, has now evolved itself into a purchase of new tract of land just down the road to help expand operations. Again, like before on the 2 acres, raw land was cleared and structures were built and as the days continue to pass, Whippoorwill Farms, on Tillman Road, continues to grow and heal the planet and the community away from factory farming.
Both Marissa and James share a dream of watching their daughter, Ellie, grow up in a place that is safe and nurtures a hunger for learning and exploring and respecting all that the earth provides. This dream becomes more of a reality as each day passes. Both Marissa and James have other careers and James still commutes daily to Savannah, GA to his office. Marissa freelances as a website developer and social media manager who dabbles in photography and consulting on the side. But someday, the dream would mean both commuting to their backyard, turning their farming venture into the business they long for it to be.
On this farm, all beings are treated with respect. Animals are given their best life and living conditions are far above the standard of what most animals live in. Especially for the animals used for meat, what is provided to them, is completely different than what their life could’ve been like on a factory farm. The animal’s diets consist of mostly fruit and vegetables and is supplemented with grain. They are given as much space as possible and daily opportunity for enrichment and exploration. Whippoorwill Farms takes great pride in providing a humane environment filled with love and respect.
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