PACKAGES
The couple from Richardsville, KY, have been married for six years. Both fourth-generation farmers, they grew up just five miles apart outside of Bowling Green.
Their journey to parenthood was marked by struggles with infertility until finally, Christina became pregnant during a year when she stayed home to assist on the farm.
Now, with their three-month-old son Asa, they juggle farm duties and Christina's job. Though Christina longs to work full-time on the farm, she returned to work after Asa's birth to secure benefits for their family. During the day, Tyler takes on the role of stay-at-home dad, allowing them to begin farm work together in the evenings with Asa in tow.
Their farm raises a diverse range of livestock, including chickens, beef cattle, turkeys, and pigs. Additionally, they cultivate a variety of produce, from pumpkins to sunflowers, and even their own garden.
Every Saturday, they showcase their goods at the Scottsville Road Farmers Market, connecting with local customers and distributors.
Their ultimate goal is to transition both of them to full-time farming. Together, they aspire to build something uniquely theirs, a legacy they can pass down to Asa and future generations.
Tyler and Christina White trade off their son, Asa in the evening as Christina returns from work in Bowling Green, Ky. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Most days the two hardly get to see each other since Tyler begins chores on their farm as soon Christina gets home. “We chose this life and would not trade it,” said Christina.
Christina takes care of her son, Asa while filling the water bowl for the pigs and completing other chores on the farm on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Christina works as an x-ray tech at Western Kentucky Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Associates.
Tyler moves chickens to their outdoor enclosure at the White Family Farm on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Due to bad weather and trying to manage a busy schedule with the baby, the chickens were brought outside a couple weeks late.
Tyler (left) and Christina (right) have matching tattoos in place of their wedding bands. The tattoo is a Viking rune, a symbol that represents the bond they have that no one can break. The couple got married in 2017 and the two have been inseparable ever since.
Tyler (right) and family friend, Ronnie Lee (left) attempt to catch one of their pigs for castration at the White Family Farm on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Most of Tyler’s family lives nearby in Richardsville and are always willing to help one another with various tasks on their farms. They castrated the pigs weeks later than usual due to their busyness with Asa.
White Family Farms sells packaged meat at the Bowling Green’s Original Farmers Market on Scottsville Road in Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday, April 13, 2024. The White Family raises their own livestock to later be slaughtered and packaged.
“People want to know where their food comes from but they don’t want to pay the cost for it. Granted inflation and cost of living isn’t helping anyone these days. But people don’t understand what goes into a $22 whole chicken or a $8 a pound porkchop. Most of the time they don’t even really care to listen to find out.”
Christina pours the pig’s feed into their enclosure at the White Family Farm on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Tyler's family owned expansive farmland, whereas Christina's upbringing revolved around a 35-acre property. After marrying Tyler, Christina immersed herself in the aspects of agriculture, including crop farming and raising livestock. “I have always loved agriculture,” said Christina, “so as soon as he asked if I wanted to drive the tractor I was like I’m on it.”
Tyler, Christina, and Asa leave their house early in the morning to visit Clarksville on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Despite living nearby and their hectic schedule, Christina and Tyler rarely request their family's assistance in looking after Asa. After enduring years of infertility struggles and undergoing numerous treatments, Christina and Tyler deeply understand the significance and responsibility they hold for their own child, as they intentionally cherish their time together no matter what they are doing.
“Who would have thought we would make a kid this cute!”
Christina puts Asa in his car seat in the truck for their family trip to Clarksville to bring back machinery on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Tyler and Christina try to get Asa to fall asleep at the Bowling Green's Originals Farmers Market on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Every Saturday morning, they spend time at the Farmer's Market. Their goal is to sell to local distributors, freeing them from the need to spend every Saturday morning at the market and allowing more time with their family.
Christina rides in the back of the truck to their house from the barn while Asa rode in the cab with Tyler on Thursday, April 25, 2024. They plan to teach their son all they can about farming in hopes that he might grow an appreciation for it. “We can hope that he loves this way of life as much as us,” said Christina, “but if not we want him to find his niche in life that makes him happy.”
“One of the biggest joys of running the farm is it’s ours. We can do what we want and make it into what we want. We are just working together to build a way of life to pass down to our son, a way of life that unfortunately is slowly disappearing.”
They put Asa to bed after returning from their farm chores on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Since most jobs on the farm require two sets of hands, Asa rides in the truck as they complete their various tasks for the day. “Having Asa has been our biggest blessing,” said Christina, “even though we have had to make changes already.”
A Leap of Faith to Life Calling
Chaney Robinson, a WKU senior studying Religious Studies, grew up in the Methodist church and began exploring outside her faith during her senior year at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green. In the fall of 2021, Robinson began her conversion process to Catholicism. “I just felt God's presence in a new way that I had never felt before”, said Robinson, “I've had so much growth like since I've converted.”
Robinson attends and participates in the communion service during Holy Week at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Newman Center on College Street in Bowling Green, Kentucky on Thursday, March 28, 2024. She was convinced to visit the Newman Center on Palm Sunday with her boyfriend now fiancé and it changed her perspective on faith. From then on, she began her faith journey in Catholicism by attending mass by herself and starting the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the process for non believers enter the Cat
Robinson and her dance partner, Ashley Pattinson present their choreography for their Choreography 1 class in Gordon Wilson Hall on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Due to the impact of her faith, she switched her major from dance to religious studies in order to pursue her masters and a career in ministry. “I just could not see myself doing that [dance] for the rest of my life,” said Robinson, “at least I will find a little more fulfillment in my job now.”
Chaney Robinson and her co teacher, Grace lead a dance class for Tippi Toes at the Holy Lutheran School in Bowling Green on March 28, 2024. She danced for 13 years and had planned to become a dance professor before pursuing ministry.
Robinson places a Bible back on the self after morning adoration at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on April 5, 2024. Her life has become saturated by her faith as she regularly attends mass, adoration, discipleship, and outreach with Fellowship of Catholic University Students several times a week. “I see a lot more ways that I can continue to grow and I've gone so far my journey,” said Robinson,“but I feel like I've been given more resources to do that for the Catholic Church.”
As an active member of her church, Robinson meets with Kayla Srinivasan for weekly discipleship discussions at the Newman Center. “I used to have a very surface level understanding of Christianity in general,” said Robinson, “so I love to help newer believers grow in their faith.”
Robinson begins most of her days at adoration praying, reading, and journaling at St. Jospeh Catholic Church as she continues to deepen her trust in God in the next steps of her faith journey. She continues to follow the Lord’s direction as pursues her master’s degree in Theology at Yale this fall. “It's a high call to not just go to church and believe in God, but to actually shape the way you live your life and be intentional with things so that's what I have tried to do,” said Robinson.