Jim has been a rancher for 30 years and has been vending at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market since 2005. His beef is grass-fed and grass-finished. His pork is GMO-free, from free-range pigs.
A chat with Jim in June, 2018
What is a signature item that you sell? Pork Sausage
What’s the best way to store it? In the freezer, for up to 2 years.
How long have you been cowboying? Since 1976 – 43 years
How long have you been a member of the Market? 13 years
How did you get into cowboying? As a young kid, I would day-help with cattle and that piqued my interest. I couldn’t handle working a 9-5 job even though working with cattle requires 60-80 hours a week. I absolutely loves working for myself. My business is year-round and I am able to maintain 100 cattle and 40 pigs. I sell over 20 different cuts of meat, as well as green chili.
Do you own or rent the land you grow on? I own 355 acres for my grass-fed cattle, and I leases different parcels.
Are you certified organic or hormone free? We’re not certified organic, but our cows are grass-fed and the pigs eat non-GMO feed.
Besides cowboying, what takes up your time? What are your hobbies? Loves to camp, fish, used to play baseball. However, his business takes up most of his time and he loves it.
Do you speak any other languages? Spanish
How would you describe yourself in one word? Irreverent
What is your favorite dish to make? Mystic Brisket
Red or Green? Both
What have you done that you are most proud of? Purchasing 355 acres of desert land and my own adobe home which came with 1 mile of canyon. This canyon also has petroglyphs on the canyon walls.
Day in the life of a rancher: Check the pigs, feed horses, dogs, fix fences, haul feed, haul pigs or cattle for butchering, a lot of checking on his animals. My routine is always changing.