Whispering Pines Farm LLC

by Terri Schmidt, Co-op Volunteer Writer

Whispering Pines Farm is aptly named. I enjoyed the lovely sound of wind in the pines when visiting with owner Nancy Hepler McElroy. Nancy’s grandfather planted a row of Ponderosa Pines along the lane leading to the farmhouse for her grandmother because she loved them. They also planted one of each native Idaho pine variety as a windbreak. Nancy and Ned live in the 1897 farmhouse built by original homesteaders.

Whispering Pines Farm is a six generation farm since 1929. Nancy is the fifth generation family member to farm the land. She said she first got interested in growing plants “about as soon as I could walk.” Nancy runs the farm and her husband, Ned McElroy, a BMI award winning artist, songwriter and music publisher, records music in his studio. Ned is a well known songwriter in Nashville, but when Nancy began managing the farm 20 years ago, she said Ned willingly came out to this remote area of Idaho “because he loves me.” They have four children – two boys who are urbanites, and two girls who co-own the farm with Nancy.

In addition to raising wheat, canola, and Timothy hay on 382 acres of land, Nancy grows raspberries, strawberries, walnuts, grapes, garlic, squashes, herbs and more. Theresa at Fiddler’s Ridge provides interesting organic annuals that Nancy transplants to her annual garden. Nancy also cares for trees in old orchards which produce heritage apples, pears, apricots and plums, many planted by original homesteaders. She harvests unusual fruits, like Green Gage and petite plums, and rare heritage apples including Lady William, Washington Strawberry, and Mantet. 

In addition to the Moscow Food Co-op, Nancy sells to Maialina and Gritman Medical Center. Nancy said, “The older patients at Gritman like us because our produce is like a taste of home.” Nancy participates in the Lost Apple Project and is always on the lookout for more rare apples on the property.

Nancy protects areas of land that have been untouched for generations, including a remnant of Palouse Prairie. She owns 54 acres of forest and uses sustainable farming practices. She has planted pollinator pathways, uses water conservation systems, has a large composting pit and promotes carbon sequestering. This year she is experimenting with a Chinese composting system.

Whispering Pine Farm draws in many animals. A black bear has been allowed his own plum tree where he sleeps and eats plums. Deer, elk and moose are frequent visitors, but not always the best guests. This spring a moose ate down many raspberry canes and nibbled ends off of fruit tree branches.  Ned learned shaving Irish Spring soap around the homestead borders keeps moose away. When Nancy planted a cherry tree for each of her four children, deer ate two of them. One year a porcupine claimed a triple grafted apple tree and wouldn’t let anyone near. They set traps for Codling Moths, an insect intent on getting into the apples and pears.

Farming is challenging in other ways too. Overly cold or hot weather has destroyed annual crops. Nancy hand picks and bags noxious weeds, containing them until the weed seeds die. Shipping and petroleum costs keep rising. In spite of so many obstacles, love of the land andher family’s history there keep Nancy determined and working hard to preserve it.

Nancy has a PhD in Behavioral Health Prevention and works for the federal government on issues including trauma, crack cocaine and AIDS. After many years working in the public sector and then working her land, she is looking forward to soon passing the farm along to her daughters who will continue the legacy.