the farm
where working land improves farmers’ financial security
rooted in heritage, growing for the future
Rusted Gate Farm’s origins began in 2014 with the purchase of a single piece of farmland in Central Point, Oregon. The once-productive agricultural land was destined for urban development or speculative, non-agricultural use. Over the next few years, four neighboring properties facing similar challenges were added—each rich with local history and agricultural tradition. Rusted Gate Farm was born.
Two sisters, Rachell Hall of Central Point and Christy Walton, founder of the Alumbra Innovations Foundation, made this happen. In 2018, Christy advanced the vision by establishing a sustainable organizational structure focused on keeping the land in food production. The goal: to design and share practical farm models through a demonstration farm that responds to the growing loss of small farms—helping producers build reliable income, care for their land, and remain financially sustainable.
In 2019, RGF was incorporated as a public benefit corporation and obtained its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Over the next several years, additional farmland was added, and today the farm comprises over 1,000 acres. Many of the properties bear the names of the families who once cared for them: Caster, Hanson, Straus, and Wampler.
Read about our cattle and hay operations and our premium products.
our cattle and hay operations
Rusted Gate Farm maintains cattle and hay operations that enable the research and investigative work that underscore our mission. We manage a herd of 100 Black Angus and Charolais-Angus cross cows, all raised on a diverse rotation of pasture and native oak savannah. As a nonprofit, we reinvest 100% of the proceeds from these enterprises directly into our charitable, community programs.
Our practices prioritize animal welfare and environmental health, utilizing low-stress handling and year-round open-pasture grazing. Every animal is bred, born, raised, and harvested at Rusted Gate Farm, ensuring health and quality from beginning to end. By raising our cattle strictly on grass without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics, we produce premium, all-natural beef that honors both the land and the livestock.
Rusted Gate Farm produces approximately 1,200 tons of quality hay each year to serve the local market. Much of the land operated is in partnership with owners who share the desire to keep working lands in production but do not possess the equipment or time to manage the land themselves.
This baseline of responsible ranching provides the practical means to conduct the innovative trials and sustainability investigations that drive Rusted Gate Farm’s vision.
sustainably raised. locally grown. honestly good.
Whether you want to try our premium beef, pick up farm-fresh eggs and seasonal vegetables, get hay for your livestock, or pick a bouquet from our u-pick flower garden, we invite you to experience the farm for yourself. Visit our year-round farm stand inside the net-zero, solar-powered building at 5700 Upton Road in Central Point, or reach out to us at 541-423-2391.