I am the owner and operator of Waste Not Farm.
If you’ve been to any farms in Texas, you know we value the little things in life. At the end of a hard day’s work, we sit down to a dinner of grass fed meat and produce from our own garden, then appreciate everything that went into the making of each meal. These meals represent a legacy that can be boiled down to three words: family, friends, and farming.
I am a fourth generation farmer, working on raising a fifth. My dad, Don, worked alongside my grandfather at Farm Equipment Service in Temple for 52 years while both also farmed. When my dad passed away, I inherited the land lease and cows, then brought in the business side. I continue to farm in the exact way my dad did, but changed the business side to make sure the farm continued to succeed. He taught me the value of hard work and how to make a “bull strong” fence. The knowledge he gave me is the foundation of all I do at Waste Not Farm. I build on this knowledge daily, and pass this knowledge on to the next generation.
By working together with my son, River, we are also learning together. We homeschool on the farm. In addition to school, River and I work together on farm tasks. He has quickly become my best helper and salesman.
Running a farm on my own is not easy. I am grateful for the friends and community who continually support and teach me.
My dad was a long-standing member of the Bell County agricultural community. Many farmers first met him through his tractor dealership. He also maintained local connections through our farm.
Creating strong community bonds continues to be important to me today. The Downing brothers, their father, and others have continually helped with tasks I couldn’t do alone. When they help on the farm, I work by their sides to ensure I know how to do the task the next time around.
I am also thankful to the Bell County Sheriff who also lends a helping hand when my bulls decide to challenge the strength of the Waste Not Farm fences.
I’ve worked to create Waste Not Farm from the ground up. I started with the original 40 acre farm I inherited from my dad. The farm continues to expand. I originally leased an additional 50 acres of pasture, then recently expanded into another 56 acres, doubling the land I have for grazing. When the cows are grazing in the pasture, they drink from tanks originally dug by my dad. This expansion allowed me to also increase the number of cows Waste Not Farm raises. With a lot of hard work and patience I care for up to 50 cows at a time.
Many farms in Texas use weed killers and other chemicals on their farms. This might allow more grass and hay to grow, but the cows also ingest those chemicals, meaning those chemicals end up on your plate. Our grass fed meat is natural and chemical free.
Waste Not Farm maintains local connections. I started and continue to work with the same local butcher. In response to higher demand for grass fed meat, I also expanded production, and now work with two local USDA inspected butchers.
