Fresh from our Farmers: At the Owen Family Farm

Three times a week, Deborah and Ed Owen pack up their meats, signs and brochures and head to a farmers market. This small family farm, located in the rolling hills west of Hopland, attends the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market on Saturday and the Sebastopol Certified Farms Market on Sunday. They also attend the Ukiah Certified Farmers Market on Saturday. These markets are year-round; during its season, you’ll find them at the Healdsburg Certified Farmers Market, too.

In addition to selling their meats at farmers markets, the Owens operate a monthly subscription program, or CSA, and are the only lamb and pork sold at Andy’s Market in Sebastopol.

CSA subscription boxes can be picked up at farmers markets and other established locations; the boxes can also be delivered, for an additional charge. For $100 a month, subscribers received about ten pounds of mixed cuts from a range of species. Members also receive a 10 percent discount on other products.

Currently, the farm has lamb, goat, pork and rabbit, packaged in a wide range of cuts and frozen. It also has lamb sausage, jerky, salami and pepperoni, tanned sheep skins and raw pet food, packaged by the pound. By late spring, they’ll have beef again. They sold their steer because of the drought and are working on reestablishing a herd.

Owen animals roam on several acres and graze on organic pasture grass, with each species receiving natural supplements. Pigs get fruit, acorns, garden vegetables and natural grains; lambs receive milk and organic grass and goats munch on blackberries when they are in season. None are treated with hormones or antibiotics.

The drought has had a major impact on the farm, as the Owens sold a number of animals, not just the steer. December rains brought the dry pastures back to life but now there is frost, which slows or stops growth. They are slowly increasing their herds and hoping, as we all are, for more rain.

There’s also a new barn in the works, a sustainable barn inspired, in part, by European styles of animal husbandry.

The Owens’ commercial endeavor was established in 2008, when the economy crashed. At the time, Deborah Owen was operating a house-cleaning service with several employees and her husband was a full-time electrical engineer.

“We wanted to create a second income stream,” Ed Owen explained, adding that they had originally raised bison.

“Our children were in 4-H with pigs,” Deborah Owen added, “and clients began asked if we could raise lamb for them. We also wanted our children to have really good meat.”

Although their meat business seems to be thriving, both have continued their full-time work during the week.

Owen Family Farm, owned and operated by Deborah and Ed Owen, was founded in 2008. For information about the farm’s monthly CSA program, email owenfamilyfarm@gmail.com or visit owenfamilyfarm.com.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 18 books to date, including the new “More Than Meatballs.” Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.