The Williams family of Windy Hill Farm practices a healthy lifestyle and strives to support you in your own quest for wellness. Carla states, “I’m not going to feed you something I wouldn’t eat or feed to my family. I want my family and our community as healthy as they can be, so we keep things as simple and pure as possible.” How wonderful to find a local meat producer that prioritizes the health and quality of life of their animals, knowing the beneficial impact this has on your health!
Carla and Tony Williams both grew up in Caroline County. They were married all of one year when they ambitiously purchased a 33 acre farm in Bumpass. The property had been a productive farm many years ago, but they had a lot of work ahead of them. According to Carla, Tony is always up for such a challenge, remarking, “He is confident in that he sees no obstacles or barriers in life.” Fortunately, Tony also had an educational background in agriculture and economics from Virginia Tech. He had gained some farming experience in his childhood helping his Grandfather, who he credits for sparking his ambition and passion for farming.
Amazingly, they raised eight children and ran multiple businesses (including a successful construction company), all while growing the farm from a handful of cows to a diverse group of livestock including pigs, sheep, and chickens. They added to their acreage making room for more livestock, as well as fields and greenhouses for vegetables. Carla even became a Registered Nurse, stating, “I worked for a few years in the field and then was happy to apply the knowledge at home to care for my growing family.”
From the start, Carla and Tony Williams knew they wanted to raise their livestock in the fresh air on fresh pasture. Their cows spend their whole lives on pasture, being rotated to fresh grass daily during the summer months. Unlike many other meat suppliers, the cows of Windy Hill are never given grain. In the winter they are fed their own hay and grass silage. Similarly, the sheep are rotated to fresh pasture regularly and the pigs are fed non-GMO feeds grown locally and made on the farm. The chickens are free to frolic and forage during the day but are protected at night from predatory visitors like bald eagles and foxes.
Through a family friend they found the perfect fit for their farm in Kylie Bowman, who has essentially become part of the family in the past three years. It’s clear when you meet Kylie she is in her dream job! She enjoys the physical nature of the work involved in caring for and moving the livestock and is especially fond of the pigs! The Williams kids have helped at the farm through the years, but only two younger children remain at home. The 9 grandchildren make up for their absence as they frequently visit to run around the farm and enjoy the animals. Their daughter handles the impressive task of bookkeeping across all their endeavors!
The Williams also run a farm store down the road from the farm. This is yet another way for them to pursue their mission to nurture their community with their antibiotic and pesticide free pasture raised meats. They use the retail space to support other local growers and producers to sell products like produce, baked goods and artisan crafts. They aim to be a one stop shop for local residents to obtain kitchen staples, specialty goods and even gifts.
With all the delicious options at her fingertips, Carla still favors the simple clean goodness of their steaks. Their bacon, sausages, and bratwursts are so coveted by customers that it’s hard to keep them in stock. Their breakfast patties and links in sage or maple are a tasty way to start your day! She wants to ensure that customers understand that their grass-fed meats require a slightly different approach to cooking, stating, “Since we don’t feed our animals grain, our meat has less fat so you have to be careful how you cook it. Cooking it long and slow is the key for the best taste and texture.”
Carla and her family fully committed to their nutrition journey some time ago. They felt compelled to not only spread their message but to supply their community with a crucial component of their healthy diet: grass-fed quality beef and natural non-GMO raised pork from healthy, happy animals. Windy Hill Farm is that local meat and egg supplier you’ve been looking for, who can be trusted to provide you a quality source of protein from healthy livestock who enjoy a natural diet and habitat.
