Waverly Farm is situated on 370 acres in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and is rich in American heritage.

Initially, the farm was part of a 5,000 acre grant to Alexander Ross, a Scotch-Irish Quaker. Ross built the original part of the farm's stone house in 1734. Two years later, Hopewell Meeting House was constructed and today is the oldest church in use west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

George Fayette Washington, a great-nephew of our country's first president, bought the farm in 1826 and named it "Waverly."

The farm was used extensively by both sides during the Civil War because it has an excellent spring.

The Jersey herd at Waverly Farm was started in 1967 when Robert and Hazel Stiles moved their 50-cow herd from Montgomery County, Maryland to Clearbrook, Virginia. The family included five sons, Blair, Ken, Mike, Paul and Tracy, and a daughter, Debra.

After Robert's death in 1974, management of the farm passed to the sons, who worked hand-in-hand with their mother. Blair passed away in 1989 and Tracy returned to Maryland in 1996 to start his own herd. Debra still owns cattle at Waverly Farm. She and her husband Jimmy Callison, along with their daughter, live in Staunton, Virginia.

Today, the farm is home to 550 head of Registered Jerseys and is family run.

FARM FACTS

Over the years, Waverly Farm has developed many fine Jersey cattle. Since its inception, 485 Excellent cows have called Waverly home, including an impressive 28 that have been appraised Excellent-94% or higher. With the December 2006 appraisal, the farm has 81 Excellent and 107 Very Good cows and an average appraisal of 88.36%.

More than 300 records over 20,000M, 1,000F and 800P have been completed by more than 200 cows at Waverly Farm. An equal number have lifetime credits over 100,000M, 5,000F, or 4,000P. More than 150 cows in the herd today have at least one lactation of over 20,000M, 1,000F, or 800P. More than 30 have made records in excess of 24,000M and 1,200F; eight individuals have completed records over 30,000M.

More than 100 bulls have been sold to A.I., including the breed's #88 sire for Jersey Performance Index, WF Brook Bomber, and the herd's genetics have been marketed across the globe.

JERSEY SHOWS

One of the activities that we enjoy each year is exhibiting at state, regional and national shows. We have been the Premier Breeder at The All American Jersey Show 16 times and Premier Exhibitor 13 times. Most recently we earned both coveted banners at the 2006 All American Jersey Show in Louisville, Kentucky, this past November.

We have shown the National Grand Champion seven times and the Reserve National Grand Champion eight times. We have exhibited the winner of the National Jersey Jug Futurity four times, including the reining Futurity Winner, Iatola Sheona of WF.

Twelve times we have exhibited the Best Three Females at The All American Jersey show.

At the Central National Jersey Show, held during World Dairy Expo, we have exhibited the Grand Champion three times, the Intermediate Champion twice, and been named Premier Exhibitor three times.

HERD MANAGEMENT

The feeding program at Waverly Farm is a total mixed ration based on small grain and alfalfa haylage, corn silage, high-moisture shelled corn, citrus pulp and a high-protein supplement. 

For 20 years, we worked with Dr. Joe Lineweaver and Dr. Ray Murley as partners in WF/L&M Jerseys and developed several great cow families. The partnership today is with Dr. Lineweaver alone.

AWARDS

Over the years, Waverly Farm has been blessed with many awards and honors.

Most recently, Paul Stiles was named the 65th winner of the Klussendorf Trophy at the 2006 World Dairy Expo. The Klussendorf is the highest recognition given to a dairy cattle showman in the United States.

In 1998, the Stiles family received the Master Breeder Award from the American Jersey Cattle Association. The following year, the farm was honored with the Distinguished Cattle Breeder Award from National Dairy Shrine. The farm also has been presented with the W. Ray Murley Virginia Distinguished Dairyman award from the Virginia State Dairymen's Association.

After nearly 40 years at Waverly, we would like to thank all of those who have encouraged and supported us over the years.

We would also like to remember our brothers, Blair, Ken, and Tracy, who are deceased, and our sister Debra and her family. Most of all, we would like to remember our parents, Bob and Hazel, who gave us our love for the Jersey cow and made it all possible for us.

Plan a trip to Waverly Farm, which is easy to find off of Interstate 81, north of Winchester. CLICK HERE for a map from MapQuest.

We welcome a visit soon!