Students on our Colorado Plateau Semester course know Randy Ramsley well. He has built a vibrant farm on some very rough land near Hanksville, Utah. Agricultural experts told him it was impossible to grow anything in the poor soils of his property. But over that last decade Randy has carefully built up those soils with cover crops, and now supports a happy herd of goats, flocks of chickens, and a leafy orchard. You can buy excellent goat cheeses, baked goods, and other produce in his Mesa Farm and Market. If you are ever able to visit him, you must do it!
Randy had a rough summer in 2012. His longtime partner passed away, and his work crew left mid-season. He says these hardships nearly “put him in the ground.” But he got through the year with help from friends and a lot of hard work.
Randy is very excited about the prospects for the farm, he says that this year will be “a new octave and a new song,” at the Mesa Farm. There is a great farm crew lined up, and they are thinking hard about projects that the 2013 WRFI crew can help with. Randy is an inspiration to everyone he meets, we at WRFI feel incredibly fortunate to have met him, and we look forward to introducing him and his farm to many more students!