Whittier Farms

A trip through the Whittier farm store in West Sutton is about the furthest a Blackstone Valley resident can get from a typical suburban supermarket. Nestled in the heart of a once thriving agricultural district, the 500-acre Whittier Farm exudes a rural, country charm. A relic of the past? Not according to the Whittier's, a proud New England family, succeeding in the face of enormous obstacles and increasing nationwide competition.

But where can you go today where the milk and vegetables you are purchasing oftentimes are grown literally across the street? "People are losing the awareness of where their milk comes from" says Mary Whittier. "You know, it's not produced in a supermarket. Your milk comes from a cow and is produced on a farm." Though Whittier farms has grown to be one of the largest in Massachusetts, the workload hasn't gotten any easier. Two years are invested in each baby calf before she has her own calf and begins producing milk. That's two years of feed, medical care, housing and upkeep before an ounce of milk is produced. And once the mother's milk starts flowing, a cow needs to be milked twice per day, 365 days per year- an unyielding, unforgiving process. The strain on family farms in Massachusetts is evident. Since 1989 the number of dairy farms here has fallen from 630 to just 247.

And yet the Whittiers would never consider any other way of life. "Our family history is rooted in the agriculture business," Wayne Whittier says, "And that's a tradition we intend to continue."

The foundation of the business began in the early 1900's in West Sutton. In 1945, Harold Whittier and his brother Robert saw an opportunity in the dairy business and started raising registered Holsteins. "They were good farmers," says Wayne, "But they were also very good businessmen. They instilled a valuable philosophy in their children which guides us to this day - make no compromises, and produce the very best products - always.

The brothers operated as partners until 1962, when the Whittier Family Corporation was formed with Harold, his son Jim and Jim's brother in law, Richard Chase. At that time, the farm expanded by the purchase of two additional farms. In 1982, Jim and his wife Janice purchased full ownership in the corporation and brought Son's Wayne and Todd into the business.

To survive in farming diversification is the key. The family's strong business sense helped them take advantage of many opportunities over the years. Jim developed an excavation and screened loam business. Janice and Wayne began growing and selling vegetables, first operating out of their small family garage. The purchase and operation of a milk processing plant in Shrewsbury, MA enabled the farm to expand by building the Milk Store, which has become a fixture of life in West Sutton.

Todd Whittier followed his grandfather and developed an expertise in breeding and merchandising of cattle. Few here in the Valley realize the national reputation Whittier Farms has earned over the years for two AI Sires - "Apollo Rocket" and "Ned Boy." In 2001, Whittier farms received the National Dairy Quality Regional award for farm management excellence and dairy products for achieving the highest quality ratings. Perhaps for the Whittier's, the greatest sense of accomplishment has been simple recognition by their peers. Wayne notes "It's all the little things we do" and the commitment to quality and integrity that separates the Whittier's from the many farmers who have fallen away. "Every single day we prepare sand beds for the cows to rest in, every day someone from the farm will hand rake each stall. "There's no high technology involved, no fancy process, it's simply for the benefit of the cow. Could we skip that process? Do we 'have' to do it? No. But in the long run our cows are happier, live longer and more healthy and productive lives. It's just a lot of little things we do everyday that leads to higher quality milk. Integrity in the process will always produce higher quality products."

The Whittier Farm Store is open seven days a week and carries the dairy line, fruits and vegetables from the farm and surrounding farms, plus things like jams and jellies and candies that you would expect to find at a farm store. Tours and educational programs are available by appointment.

Sadly, John "Jim" Whittier passed away in early 2005, leaving a well-run and prosperous business to his family, now the 5th and 6th generation of Whittier's, who show no signs of changing a course set by their forebears -a legacy of "no compromise" farming.