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Tessa DeMaster

Growing up on my family's farm in Pennsylvania, I never would have pictured the life I live at Willow Haven farm. As a kid I spent summers in our large family garden we called, “The Truck Patch”. I helped mom every summer, picking beans, weeding, and cutting fruit and vegetables for the hundreds of jars of canned and frozen produce we put up. Now I spends less time out in the field and more time in the kitchen doing the same preserving for my own farm family. Farmer Reuben values my many hours doing much of the behind the scenes marketing, writing emails to cultivate customers and capturing the farm story each week. I'm always learning along the way in my quest to improve the farm experience for each of her current and future farm members in our 500+ member, year-round customized farm box delivery program. Reading our stories will connect you with your food in a way you never experienced before. Someday soon you will want to fit local food into your life and we'll be here to help you.

Featured Post

When you are sick, do this... + Only 5 Seats Left for Winter Wellness Workshop

Hi Reader, When my kids are sick I want to be able to help them without taking them to a doctor. Like me, are you unsure that most doctors have your best interests in mind? I don't want to take prescriptions that have side affects. I don't want to give them to my kids either. Don't you want more options and resources when those sniffles start? I'm excited to learn Winter Wellness from Clinical Herbalist, Jim Furey, this Saturday! I can't wait to have more herbal remedies ready and know...
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4 days ago • 2 min read
our own tinctures for immune health
small business weekend

We Are Open! Don't Stay Home to Avoid the Crowds and Consumerism - Come to your Happy Farm!

Hi Reader, Are you ready for this long holiday weekend? Your delicious Thanksgiving dishes are almost ready for tomorrow, I hope. But do you know what you are doing after Thanksgiving Day? Don't you feel the need to get out and do something after the feasting, naps on the couch and hours of game time? Whether you're a Black Friday warrior, Cyber Monday enthusiast, or just keen on avoiding the consumerism chaos, we've got the perfect escape for you. You don't need to do what everyone else...
13 days ago • 2 min read
pastured pork chops, bacon, sausage

Worried Worried about What's being Added to Your Food?

Hi Reader, Do you wish you could have all the benefits of raising your own food even though it's not possible for you right now? If you find yourself worrying about what is fed to, shot up or added to the food you buy - I can help. Farmer Reuben is raising pigs in our pastures, orchard and vegetable fields. This is the pork we will fill our freezer with to feed our own family. Our half pigs are available to reserve today, an exclusive option for you as a part of our email list family....
19 days ago • 1 min read
our own tinctures

You Don't Trust Big Pharma? Achieve Winter Wellness with Knowledge & Natural Remedies

Hi Reader, Do you worry about dealing with winter illnesses without going to the doctor or pharmacy? Do you wish you had a natural “medicine” cabinet ready for this winter? If you desire to be more prepared for the colds and flus that are coming - we can help. When you come to our Deep Winter Health Workshop Day on December 2nd, you will learn an integrative approach to winter wellness from Clinical Herbalist, Jim Furey. You’ll be empowered with the knowledge of different lifestyle...
21 days ago • 2 min read
healthy cows make healthy milk

"Isn't RAW Milk Dangerous?" + Cathy Tells Why She Switched

Hi Reader, Are you concerned about hormones, antibiotics, synthetic vitamins and even undisclosed added sugars in cow milk from the store? Isn't raw milk dangerous?" asked the student seeing milk in my Market Box of veggies on display at the farmer's market. This pre-med student at Lehigh University gave me the perfect opportunity yesterday to explain to her the misinformation about raw milk while I was promoting Willow Haven Farm's CSA program at their last farmer's market of the season...
24 days ago • 4 min read
artisan mushroom pizza

Special offer: Order Clean, Delicious Food from Your Farmers without a subscription! Limited Time Only

Hi Reader, Do you wish you could have all the benefits of raising your own food even though it's not possible for you right now? If you find yourself worrying about what is sprayed on, fed to, shot up or added to the food you buy - I can help. Farmer Reuben is growing and producing food you can trust and sourcing even more from farmers that we know and trust to feed our own family. When you purchase a Market Box from Willow Haven Farm you’ll fill it with every food group you need from...
27 days ago • 2 min read
radish bigger than girl

What to do if your veggies are bigger than your kid + Buy Ready to Heat Brick Oven Pizzas Today!

Hi Reader, Imagine growing up in your father's pizza restaurant with your eyes barely on the level to see the veggies being chopped on the steel food prep table. Did your dad throw a pie dough and spin it in the air to stretch out into the perfect circle? Mass grew up that way in Brooklyn and later he came to PA to help his dad in the pizza shop in Tamaqua. Imagine growing up with the name Massimiliano. You better get good and something - and fast! As his artistry with pizza developed,...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read

I'm not lying to myself anymore! + Herbal Workshops: Tools for Combatting Winter Illness

Hi Reader, Reuben and I are taking a time management course. I've heard talks and seminars on Stephen Covey or similar programs but this course is geared for farmers like us with complicated farm businesses and families mixed together. This feels like the first time I've really tried to implement new time management skills and maybe its working. As a pretty organized person, it's not like I've never managed my time. I schedule. I write lists. I delegate. Accomplishing projects every...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read

Did I see an Elk in those shadows? + Pigs bulldoze and fertilize after veggies are done

Hi Reader, Camping overnight in Landers' City Park in Wyoming brought Farmer Reuben to the edge of the wilderness filled with a bright Milky Way, shadows of mule deer and Elk and cold feet in his sleeping bag. Taking two of our high school children on this adventure to visit Wyoming Catholic College was all he was hoping for - wide open space, friendly people, mountain peaks and mule deer walking down the street. This town of 5,000 has bakeries and coffee shops, farmer's market, ranches -...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read

We Went to Pittsburgh Too! + Come Sunday to Open Gate (or Saturday, if you are brave!)

Hi Reader, I'm surprised when our little family farm does something BIG. We're just a little farm business but Reuben has big dreams and our farm members keep encouraging us to grow and get better at what we do. Our first farm staff business trip was exciting and we hope it bears a lot of fruit. To Pittsburgh & Back with Farmer Reuben To find out what it takes to serve more farm members, more food, in an efficient way that keeps YOU happy with every part of the experience, we drove out to...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
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