Whitaker Farms loves wildlife! Jim and Sam Whitaker go to great efforts to protect and care for the animals that enjoy their land.

Plants and Animals - the Natural Partnership

Often, if a field is not conducive to their commercial agriculture plan, they will release it as wildlife habitat which means they no longer farm that section of land and choose to let it develop back into forest or brush for animals. Also, they create shallow water habitats from all their rice fields during the winter for the waterfowl to enjoy. As Jim says, "Rice and waterfowl go hand in hand." The Whitakers promote this partnership in many ways.

A Field of Millet

I joined Jim recently in a field he had leveled for a zero-grade rice field for next year. Since he didn't have time to make a rice crop on it this year, he planted millet there instead. You and I might call millet a common weed, but ducks and deer love to eat it. Watch this short clip to hear Jim talk about this and other land they develop for wildlife and the natural habitats they create and protect.