Our Story
Born and raised in Seattle, our family always cherished the opportunities we found to escape the hustle and run free. Several times a year, we’d visit our family friends who lived on six acres on Samish Island, and Richard III would see the kids playing and think, “I want this.” We all did.
For years, we’d discuss our dreams and concerns over countless family dinners, and eventually we decided to look for the perfect place. It took us seven years to find it, but on August 10th, 2012, after a long U-Haul drive with a dog on our laps, we arrived at our new home. Following us over, our family friends of 25 years Barb and Alan, were instrumental in helping us get the ranch in more ways than we need mention.
We didn’t know our new home was going to be a cattle business until we got here. Curious about everything from bee keeping to raising lavender, we were always learning about something new we might do. It wasn’t until Richard III stumbled upon an article by Gerald Fry in a farming magazine about an English breed of cattle that hadn’t yet been commercialized, remaining docile and easy to work with, that we took a serious look at cattle. His interest piqued, Richard III gave Gerald a call. With then-12-year-old Ryley in tow, he went out to the ranch in Little Rock, Arkansas where they picked out our first batch of Red Devon cattle. In the Spring of 2013, the cattle arrived here, including a bull named Red Bull.
What began as a search for an off-season companion for Red Bull, developed into a similar passion for Wagyu. We bought our first Wagyu steer from Dr. Jerry Reeves, a world-renowned WSU geneticist. We named the steer Mr. Black and continued to learn all we could from Dr. Reeves, who was incredibly generous with his time.
It wasn’t until we tasted the beef from our various cows that we realized what a spectrum of flavor could be achieved. After a tasting hosted by Daisly Gordon, the owner of Café Campagne, where everyone noted the differences in flavor and found they each had different favorites, we began to think of the incredible range we could produce through a spectrum of fullblood and mixed Wagyu and Red Devon. We continue to grow our red and black herd, innovating the way they’re fed and bred, always bent on discovering new possibilities to provide the best possible bite.
Meet Our Family
Richard III
Richard has always done life his own way, trusting his hunches and following through until he finds success. Having joined the carpenter’s union at 17 and purchased his first house at 18, he later graduated cum laude from UW with a B.S. in Psychology at 31. Working as a carpenter in Seattle, he always found a way to build the things that others deemed impossible. When he sold his gorgeous Seattle home to buy a ranch—just so he could “have a bigger yard,” people thought he was crazy. The truth is, Richard knows exactly what he wants, and these days, it’s cattle. His connection with the girls is so deep he can hardly talk about it without tearing up. Out walking with them, he knows this is exactly where he belongs.
Ryley
Since we first started looking for our ranch when he was five years old, Ryley has been ride-or-die. He’s full of unyielding integrity, and completely devoted to our cattle—and the feeling is mutual. If you saw him among the bottle calves, you’d witness his joyful smile as they approach him with unprecedented curiosity. A graduate of WSU’s Animal Management program, Ryley works as one of our lead cattle handlers. He also handles our social media accounts.
Richard IV
Richard IV has a natural gift for academics. He earned his Masters in Animal Science, with his thesis focused on female reproductive physiology in humans using molecular biology. In addition to his duties on the ranch, he serves as the Manager of Animal Care Logistics for the College of Veterinary Medicine at WSU. Here, Richard documents our herd inventory and all the data we collect for herd evaluation and registration. He also collects samples for parent verification and testing for genetic defects. Richard is a valuable asset when it comes to the hands-on work around the ranch.
Pearl
Full of vibrant energy and never willing to cut a corner, Pearl devotes herself completely to everything she does, whether it’s her studies at University of Washington School of Medicine or her responsibilities at the ranch. Always thinking of others, Pearl consistently donates her hair to Locks of Love. As a physician, she hopes to bring top quality medical care to rural areas. Around here, she helps manage the finishing pen inventory, acts as a scribe, and lends a helping hand anywhere it’s needed, such as feeding or mending fences.
Stories From the Ranch
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The Ladies Have Gone Out to Pasture
After a long time feeding the herd at the barnyard it is always so rewarding to get the cows out to pasture and see all the ladies, their kids and a happy bull in a big field of green grass.
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Happy Father's Day
Every year we ask our father what he wants to do for Father’s Day and he never fails to reply with “I get to be a dad every day, let’s have another good day.”
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We Moved From West Seattle to the Country
My father was born and raised in Seattle and loved it, but like many he saw it go from a beautiful city to overcrowded.
