Farm Manager, Bovine Baron, Practiced Pastoralist
Justin Smith
Justin grew up in northern New Hampshire where he spent countless hours exploring the fields and forests surrounding his family farm. Searching under rocks and in the farm ponds looking for any number of elusive insects became his passion. This love of the natural world took him off to school in Nevada and later Washington State, eventually landing in a research position studying insect diversity at the University of Connecticut.
Inevitably, the call of wild New Hampshire brought Justin home. Like many great tales of catching the farming bug; it all began with a chicken! The chickens quickly turned into a couple of cattle, a few pigs and a mix of chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks. Today Green Bough Farm is home to Highland Cattle, heritage pigs, and an array of fowl. Ecological farming practices and experimenting with silvopasture, stockpiling forage, and rotational pasture management have become his farming passions. Justin is actively involved in local forest and farm organizations, and has been awarded the conservationist award for Grafton County in 2011 and a New Hampshire Farm of Distinction award in 2013 for his efforts.
Together with his wife Carolyn and their two sons Harper and Finley, they live, work, and play in beautiful northern New Hampshire.
Farmer, Media Master, Lodge Keeper, Veggie Specialist
Chelsea McKean
Chelsea grew up in Benton, a quaint village in the heart of the White Mountains. As a child you could find Chelsea running around barefoot, swimming in ponds, helping her parents on their homestead, fishing in the Wild Ammonoosuc, hiking Black Mountain, participating in 4-H, or anything else in the beautiful out-of-doors.
Chelsea studied Child Development and Psychology at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. There in “Powers and its Possessors” class she realized how important it was to know where your food comes from and if your food is sustainably grown and supports the local community. This is when she truly became passionate about farming. While in school she participated in educational courses about farming, volunteered at local farms, and interned at a homeless shelter where she taught families about healthy eating.
Before working at the Farm at Woods Hill, Chelsea worked at Ski Hearth Farm in Sugar Hill, NH. She also taught at Woodland Community School’s Farm Camp for children.
When Chelsea is not out in the fields, you can find her hiking with her boyfriend Travis, camping, skiing, climbing, foraging to make tinctures and salves, and throwing pottery.
Farmer, Fruit and Berry Chief, Farrowing Virtuoso
Jessie Jellison
Jessie grew up in Deerfield, NH exploring the woods and beaver ponds with her family. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Wildlife Management. She went on to work at NH Audubon, NH Fish and Game, and Squam Lake Science Center where she educated individuals and school groups about the natural world around us.
Jessie always wanted a farm but it wasn’t until she and her husband moved to Bath, NH with their oldest daughter that the dream finally became a reality. While raising their 3 daughters, Jessie instilled them with her love of animals and plants. As infants she took them in a backpack to work in a large greenhouse operation at the Piermont Plant Pantry. Today the Jellisons have a grassfed beef herd, pasture raised pigs with 10 or more litters each year, laying hens, and they produce over 150 gallons of maple syrup and thousands hay bales each summer. Her daughters are all active in 4 H. Alyssa shows Dairy cattle, Moriah works her 3-year-old steers, and Tori works her 1-year-old steers.
When Jessie isn’t working at the Farm at Woods Hill, she is usually busy with things at her home farm, following her daughters’ activities, playing in her flower and vegetable gardens, or exploring forest trails with her Belgian horses Dick and King.
Farmer, Arborist, Woodlot Wizard, Brainy Builder
Bret Austin
Bret Austin grew up on a small family farm in Michigan. He went to college to be a builder, then travelled the country as a pro cyclist for a few years. He switched later in life to running marathons, Boston being his favorite.
He has built mission style furniture, and is also a certified Arborist. He now lives in Bath, NH with his wife, Michelle. They enjoy cooking together, especially with produce they have grown themselves. They also love to hike in the mountains with their dog, Tilli, in the summer.
Bret has been building their home himself, which is just down the road from the Farm at Woods Hill. Their house is solar equipped, and they are trying to live as earth friendly as possible. His diverse skill set, acquired over many years, is a real windfall for the farm.
Farmer, Veterinary Venus, Equine Executive
Tabitha Wakefield
Tabitha was born and raised in Burlington Connecticut where she found a passion for animals. She attended the University of Connecticut where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science.
Upon graduating she spent 6 months working in Germany at dressage barns. She later spent several years in Pennsylvania at a Dutch Warmblood Breeding Farm, as well as a year in New York working on a dairy farm.
She began her career as a vet tech in Connecticut working at a mixed animal practice, and from there she moved to Vermont where earned her certification. She is currently working at Ryegate Small Animal Hospital as well as the Farm at Woods Hill.
You can find her gardening in her vegetable and flower gardens during the warm months. In the winter, she it out on the snowmobile trails with her husband Kurt. In her free time she enjoys hiking and running with her dogs.
Farmer, Campus Caretaker, Tech Titan
Aaron Chiasson
Aaron spent his childhood in a tiny town in central Maine surrounded by wilderness. With a father who was an experienced carpenter and a mother who was an avid gardener, he learned to appreciate working with his hands at a young age. In school he also developed an affinity for math and science, and he eventually moved out to the Pacific Northwest to pursue a career in computer science.
After a few years of working in software development, he decided that he wanted to break free from the cubicle life, which brought him back to New England and a variety of different jobs. He spent time doing construction, landscaping, and an apprenticeship at an organic veggie farm before landing at Woods Hill. He now lives on the farm and keeps a close eye on the animals, always looking to learn and expand his skill set as a jack of all trades.
When he’s not working Aaron loves to play just about any sport, strum on his guitar, and cook interesting and new dishes in his kitchen.