Rick Olufs

Rick Olufs is continuing his family’s tradition of ranching on the family farm they have farmed for over 56 years.  Even though this ranch would be considered small, only 40 acres, Rick has diversified his operation over the years to maintain its sustainability.  As the sole operator of his family’s ranch, he runs a beef operation, selling his product locally. Now Rick has 10 mother cows and 13 calving heifers. Rick wants to expand his beef operation, so he continues to look for property to graze.  Ricks’ beef cattle remain in the Windsor area their entire life.  They are raised on grass up to nine months of age.  They are then fed locally produced corn silage, oat hay and barley from a Russian River area brewer.  To ensure a “corn fed” finish, Rick also uses a corn diet.  His knowledge in grazing management has enabled him to achieve additional property to manage with his cattle. Rick’s grazing plan involves working the land, managing it for desired species.  Rick’s strategy is, “to keep the land fertile during the time when it is not being used, so that it does not just sit idle.” It is obvious.  Rick use to be busy, moving his cattle around every three to four days on each parcel of one to two acres.  Rick now grazes his cattle three times on each property per season. After grazing, he goes through and mows the weeds and fertilizes the ground two times a year, using an organic fertilizer.
To continue the ranch’s long term substantiality, Rick has diversified his family’s original dairy cattle operation, once consisting of 50 to 70 Holstein cows, to a beef operation, land management, and local pumpkin patch. Rick understands to maintain a viable agricultural operation in Sonoma County he needs to interact off the farm. He recognizes the importance of community and works with local groups to promote agriculture through his family business. He plans to continue expansion of his agricultural operations, for the purpose of maintaining sustainability.  Rick is a young rancher that is dedicated to the success of local agriculture in Sonoma County.