Meet Your Shepherds
We are Andrew and Kendra Schafer, shepherds and owners of Cedar Mesa Ranch LLC. We both have a deep love for livestock and being stewards of the land. Our management philosophies are based on understanding and acting with the cycles and relationships found in Nature. We believe that, with the right mindset and tools, we can all make decisions to restore our soils and create a thriving landscape. We have always called the West our home and want to do our part to keep our lands prosperous and abundant for generations to come.
A love of nature and healthy nourishing food make each day a passionate one focused on healthy land and livestock. Raising meat with integrity is not always easy, however it is the ONLY way. We started Cedar Mesa Ranch with the foundation that everyone deserves to know where their food comes from and that it is being raised in a way that promotes life, diversity, and health for the animals, land and people eating it. While doing that we are able to encourage and create beautiful thriving landscapes and ecosystems.
We have made a steadfast commitment to only doing the best for our land, livestock and community. Join us to build community and a healthy future.
Our team consists of the shepherds (us!), Barney and Kodiak (the guardian dogs), and our flock of Navajo Churro sheep and finishing beef.
Trained in Holistic Management
We both received training in Holistic Management for land and business. Since our training in 2015 we have been implementing the practice in all of our business and land ventures. We believe in very low inputs and finding root causes to problems- as it is a waste of resources to continually treat symptoms.
Masters Degree in Integrated Resource Management
Andrew received his Masters degree in Integrated Resource Management from CSU in 2015. He received his Bachelors in Agricultural Business from Fort Lewis College in 2014.
Kendra received her Bachelors at WTAMU in Canyon, TX in Agricultural Business with high honors in 2015.
Livestock Experience
Andrew has had livestock going on 20 years now, and is a first generation rancher. His passion has always been livestock. In 2015, Kendra joined the operation and together we shifted direction to raising grass-fed meat. Since that time, we have raised cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. Currently we have Navajo Churro sheep, finisher beef, and a small flock of laying hens.
Additional Consulting
Andrew is very well read in soil restoration and land health. It is our personal mission to help those that wish to learn the many ways you can help your soils and landscape thrive. If you wish to meet about land/grazing consulting, please send us an email or give Andrew a call.
Andrew and our Navajo Churro sheep, Sleeping Ute Mountain in the background
Andrew consulting on a pasture
Showing off our hats knitted with our Navajo Churro Wool