Whiteraven’s Nest, Chincoteague, VA

Mark’s Score   9.0

One of my favorite experiences, when traveling, is the unexpected find.   I was driving down Maddox Blvd on my way home from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. I needed some fresh vegetables for dinner and I noticed the sign for Whiteraven’s Nest. I usually buy my fresh vegetables from one of the food markets in Salisbury, but I thought I would give Whiteraven’s Nest a try, and I am so glad I did. 

Whiteraven’s Nest was established as a family farm by Burke Landon and Kimberly White-Landon in 2014. Their motto is; “know where your food comes from and how it is raised.”  Everything sold at the Maddox Blvd location is grown on their own farm or by one of their co-op farmers. The market sells meats, dairy products, produce, seafood, coffee, honey, maple syrup, cakes, salts, seasonings, sauces, teas, gifts, and authentic Belgian waffles. 

When I first pulled in, I thought I was just walking into a local produce market. Upon stepping out of the car I was greeted by the two resident goats, Clover and Crimson. A few steps more and you come upon the Belgian Waffle stand.  I began to think I might have stumbled on to something a little more than the average vegetable stand. 

I walked into the market, turned right, and ran into a case full of their specialty meats; elk, bison, goat, lamb, rabbit, and duck. In short, meats you rarely see in the local supermarket. Though I had stopped on a whim, I knew I had found something special. It was a hot summer’s day, and I had a 40-mile (64 kilometers) drive home, so I had to resist the urge to buy the contents of the meat freezer. But I wanted to try something, so I had to make a choice. A package of “Mediterranean Lamb Sausages,” caught my attention. I decided to make a Mediterranean Risotto with lamb for dinner. I followed the lamb up with some tomatoes, shallots, summer squash and zucchini, to complete the meal. 

They also sell sushi grade tuna, sword fish, and mahi mahi, but I will wait for cooler weather before I buy those. I wasn’t prepared to do a lot of shopping but I will definitely go back to try some of their ciders, and preserves. And who among us hasn’t hankered for a jar of pickled quail’s eggs and pickled beet balls? I don’t even know what they are or how I would use them, but I have to buy a jar just to find out. 

Whiteraven’s is worth a visit just to window shop the unique food items. Life is too short not be a little adventurous when it comes to food. If you are renting a place on Chincoteague, you could pick up groceries at the local supermarket, but you are on vacation; so why not be a little adventurous? I’ll be prepared to do some more serious shopping the next time I am in Chincoteague. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *