Meet The Team
RYAN WAGNER | FOUNDER, WEATHERLOW FARMS
Inspired by his work with a variety of conservation groups, a love for animals and food, and the desire to run his own sustainable business, Ryan purchased the farm in January 2014. His vision; to produce the highest quality food while using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare. He has enthusiastically embraced the project and is responsible for the farm’s overall strategy and vision. To help bring his dream to life, Ryan has assembled a team of specialists each with unique capabilities and passion. His background is in finance and real estate and he continues to serve as founder and principal of Oak Hill Investments. He is a graduate of Colby College and holds an MBA from The Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Ryan proudly serves on the board of The Marion Institute.
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PHOEBE POOLE | FLOWER MANAGER
After working for eight years on a variety of farms across the country, Phoebe started laying the groundwork for Weatherlow Florals in the fall of 2015, with the goal of helping to supply the wedding and event industry on the South Coast and in Rhode Island with sustainably grown specialty cut flowers and foliages. Her past farm experience has included vegetable and livestock farming, as well as edible and cut flower production. She is a graduate of Wellesley College with a degree in biology. Of all that farming has to offer, Phoebe most enjoys the tangible outcome after a day of hard work – neatly weeded rows of seedlings and buckets of lovely blooms!
EMILY WHIPPLE | HEAD CHEF
After graduating from Syracuse University and earning a French culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu London, Emily worked as a Chef de Party at the well-known London-based organic farm shop/cafe Daylesford Organic. Since relocating back to the U.S. and taking time off to raise her two young daughters, Emily has hit the ground running here at Weatherlow Farms with renewed creativity and enthusiasm. Specializing in the farm-to-table experience, her career in England has positioned her perfectly for her role as our Head Chef. Emily thrives off the ability to pair proteins with the myriad of locally sourced products available in Westport and the surrounding area. There is no end to Emily’s passion for food. Her unique ability to blend classical dishes with ethnic creativity promises to deliver many mouthwatering experiences to our customers.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT (TEDDY)
Teddy, a Great Pyrenees, lives among the chickens May to December. He defends them from predators like foxes, coyotes, and hawks as they roam through the pastures eating bugs and ticks from the grass. In winter Teddy shelters with the goats at their winter barn; making sure they don’t get up to too much mischief. He’s happiest among the livestock, guarding them.
Our Partners
CAROL LYNN TROCKI | WEATHERLOW FARMS CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST
Carol is a conservation biologist who, for the past eleven years, has been working with conservation organizations and municipalities to help them prioritize land protection efforts, document conservation values, and plan for the long-term stewardship of their protected properties. She gets excited about the intersection of landscape-level ecology and human values and enjoys helping individuals better understand, connect with, and manage the land in their care. Carol is passionate about communicating her understanding of ecological systems and believes sustainable local agriculture is a vital part of any thriving landscape. She has a Master’s Degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Rhode Island where she currently teaches wildlife management, serves on the board of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council, and is co-owner of Mosaic Land Management, LLC in Little Compton, RI.
RUPERT GRANTHAM | FORESTER AT WEATHERLOW FARMS
Owner, manager and forester for Walden Forest Conservation, a consulting forestry and forest products business, Rupert has worked in Southeastern Massachusetts for 10 years. He has worked as a consulting forester in Vermont and Tennessee, as well as in logging, land conservation, forestry investment management, tropical hardwood production in Paraguay, and plantation pine forestry in New Zealand. Rupert is a trustee for the Grantham Foundation for the protection of the environment, and on the board of the New England Forestry Foundation. Rupert’s main goals are the development of community sustainability through the promotion of a working land ethic and a sustainable land-based economy. He has a BS from the University of Vermont and an MBA in ‘Managing for Sustainability’ from Marlboro Graduate Center.
CAROLYN BARLOW | BEEKEEPER AT WEATHERLOW FARMS
Carolyn has surrounded herself with growing plants her whole life. She currently works as production and sales manager for Olson’s Greenhouses in Raynham, Massachusetts. Since 2016 she has added beekeeping to her repertoire, taking classes at Bristol Agricultural School and UMASS Amherst. The combination of these two fields is a perfect match. The result ? Delicious honey! Come by The Store at Weatherlow and try it!