Our Farmers
Brent Halderman
Brent grew up on a small family farm outside Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in horticulture and has a love for working outdoors. What began, for him, as a career in landscaping, eventually led to an interest in growing food. Brent and his wife, Megan, moved to Alabama in the Fall of 2014 to help establish Windy Hill. As farm manager, Brent oversees both the work and the workforce of the farm. Brent particularly enjoys learning how to incorporate regenerative agriculture practices to build soil and plant health, as well as always coming up with something new to build or create.
Megan Halderman
Megan Halderman is originally from Decatur, Alabama and graduated from Mississippi State University. Her background is in education; however, after marrying Brent, she found a home in farmwork. What started as a love for cooking and fresh food, turned into a curiosity and appreciation for where food comes from. Megan worked full time at the farm for many years and now enjoys being home with Brent and her three sons. Megan now serves the farm in an advisory capacity, helps with Special Events, and encourages community among those who have joined the farm for a season.
Katie Kalusche
Katie grew up in McComb, MS and is a recent graduate from Mississippi State University where she completed her undergraduate degree in History. As a staff member at Camp DeSoto, Katie became familiar with the farm’s mission of teaching others about sustainable farming and supporting the local Mentone community. She finds joy in knowing the campers who come to the farm as well as the farm market community. In her first year, Katie has helped with many aspects of the farm, working closely with our laying hens, specifically managing our egg deliveries and sales. Her farming inspiration comes from her Pawpaw John, reading about Fannie Lou Hamer’s “Freedom Farms”, and her love for a fresh farm carrot.
Ashley Dempsey
Ashley grew up in Clemson, South Carolina. She graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Her love for the outdoors, working with her hands, and a desire to provide healthy food eventually led her to pursue farming. During her first year on the farm, Ashley was involved in many different areas, including flower production. Ashley enjoys learning new skills and being creative.
Lily Akins
Lily was born and raised in Fort Payne, Alabama. She attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and graduated with a degree in Environmental Science. What started as a summer job in high school, quickly developed into a passion for sustainable farming and being a steward to the environment. Lily finds it rewarding to see the abundance of biodiversity all over the farm during a good growing season– which is a direct result of the quality of the soil and the crop which grew there. She spends a lot of her time on the farm helping with harvest, egg production and distribution, and Friday market preparation. Inspired by the serenity the farm provides to all inhabitants, Lily finds comfort and creativity in farming at Windy Hill.
Jake Nelson
Jake was born and raised in Mentone Alabama and has lived in Mentone his whole life. He began working on the farm in the summer of 2023 as a part time employee. He began full time employment in August of 2025 right after graduating high school in May of 2025. After his first summer at the farm he discovered that he did not just have a love and desire to work outdoors but more specifically to work with livestock. His work at the farm involves animal husbandry, providing guidance for summer staff, and generally assisting in all aspects of the farm.
Phil & Marsha Hurt
Phil and Marsha Hurt have lived, raised a family, and worked at Camp DeSoto for over 30 years. Being a part of establishing The Farm at Windy Hill during their time at Camp and life in Mentone is exciting, rewarding, and a lot of good fun for the two of them. Seeing Windy Hill become an integral part of both Camp and the community has been beyond their best dreams for “Mr. Kirby’s Farm.”