Just like that it’s fall! Each season brings new tasty fruits and veggies. For this month we’re highlighting a farm that provides their community with a wide range of delicious food, Red Gate Ranch. We asked the team at Red Gate why they’re CAFF members and it was such a pleasant surprise to know that they were introduced to CAFF through the Farmers Guild chapter, which was lead by our CAFF team member Evan. In their own words, “We joined because of Evan Wiig! Before the Farmer’s Guild and CAFF joined together, we met Evan at a farm business meeting. He had wonderful things to say about the organization and encouraged us to join it for their many wonderful resources. He was right!” Thank you Red Gate team for taking the time to share your story, passion and commitment to healthier communities with us!
Q&A
Why did you start to ranch/grow food?
“After watching Food, Inc., and the episode of No Reservations where Tony Bourdain visited Les Halles, we knew Americans were getting the short end of the stick when it came to quality food from quality businesses. Combined with our passion for letting food be thy medicine and some experiences in the healthcare field that supported the growth of this passion, we wanted to be part of nourishing our communities both via the food produced from our ranch as well as the regenerative practices we use to steward our land.”
If the average consumer could know one thing about farming, what would it be?
“That it’s much harder than you think! There is both art and science involved and on top of that, mother nature always seems to have other plans.”
What is one thing you wished you knew before you started ranching/ growing food?
“Raising livestock and prepping it for sale via USDA is extremely capital intensive. As a small producer, we must front the cost of the animal, the feed, the kill fees, the butcher fees, the transport fees, the storage fees! We are grateful for our mentors in our wonderful farming community (the Kaisers from Singing Frogs Farm) who encouraged us to follow our intuition and establish our market garden and CSA. Our pastured meats and market garden complement each other both in the mouth and on the financials!”
Where do you see your ranch in 5 years?
“We see our farm as a living being. It supports those that tend the land and those that benefit from what it produces. We see constant improvement for both the land and the experience of our customers and team members in Red Gate’s future.”
What's Going on at Red Gate Farm
Work at Red Gate!
In order for their ranch to succeed they need extra helpign hands. Currently they are hiring, and have a dedicated “Employment” tab where you can check when their next job is posted!Â
Veggie CSA!
Their CSA is colorful, tasty and full of choices. To find out more about their CSA click here and don’t miss out!Â