Jacob Gilley, is a first-generation farmer and military veteran who was raised in Madison, VA where he was involved in sports, FFA and 4-H. He has always been passionate about agriculture and attended Virginia Tech, majoring in Animal Science and Ag Economics. Upon graduation, he worked in two agricultural, outside sales roles for 9 years before transitioning to American Farmland Trust (AFT). AFT is a national non-profit focused on saving farmland and helping farmers adopt conservation practices while also focusing on increasing farm profitability. Jacob was with American Farmland Trust for 6 years and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He left AFT in June 2025 to focus on growing his farming operation and agriculture consulting business, as well as managing renovations and rentals at Stone Bridge Farm.
Jennifer Gilley also grew up in Madison, VA where she was involved in sports and 4-H, this is actually where she and Jacob first met. Prior to attending Madison County High School, Jennifer attended Grymes Memorial School in Orange along with her 3 sisters. Jennifer grew up on a cattle farm which has been in her family since 1951. Today, the farm is called Heaven's Hollow Farm and it's focused on stewarding its natural resources while raising and direct marketing beef to local consumers. After high school graduation, Jennifer earned a BS in nursing from UVA and worked several years for Bons Secours, Martha Jefferson and UVA before she turned her focus to raising and home schooling her 4 young children along with managing Heaven's Hollow Farm beef sales. The kids definitely keep her on her toes and help her maintain her nursing skills on a routine basis!