Perhaps you’ve seen their beef at the local farmersmarkets, honey at Newport Market or even visited the ranch during their October pumpkin patches, but the true story behind DD Ranch nestled in Terrebonne is one of relentless work and unwavering determination.
The Anspach family, owners of DD Ranch, not only manage to somehow maintain a full-scale working ranch, but also juggle family life, long distance running, and other activities. How in the world do they have the time?
“I’m a Jill of all trades,” laughs Linda Anspach.
I sat down with Linda on a cool, breezy morning at her family’s Terrebonne ranch, Smith Rock prominent in the distance. With four kids and a full schedule, it’s amazing how she finds time to run races, let alone manage a few hundred acres of land. Her husband Jeff, also a runner, coaches their children, who have inherited the family’s athletic genes.
Originally from Florida, both Linda and Jeff worked in the financial sector before moving to Portland. A little more than a decade ago, they made the life changing decision to relocate to Central Oregon. As elite runners, health has always been important to the family, but it was a workshop on indigenous farming practices and sourcing healthful food that sparked Linda’s agricultural awakening.
Though Jeff is a third generation farmer, the couple knew little about farming. Still, once the dream was sparked, their lives changed radically. When they bought the DD Ranch 12 years ago, it was already a working ranch, though it needed plenty of TLC. From cows wandering the road in those early days to learning to fix irrigation systems and fence lines, the couple dove in headfirst and partnered with the previous owner to learn the ropes. They studied through observation, trial, and error, and slowly, they began to make the land their own.
Today, DD Ranch is a diverse and busy operation. The pumpkin patch, their most popular and profitable event, draws hundreds of visitors each fall. But the ranch offers much more. Their largest focus is on the delicious grass-fed beef and lamb, and heritage pork from their livestock. In fact, the animals were visibly active and enjoying the beautiful day during my visit. Honey harvested from partnerships with local beekeepers, eggs, and dairy products that come from Windy Acres in Prineville all contribute to the DD’s income. The ranch also serves as a picture perfect wedding venue with Smith Rock as a backdrop.
Sounds idyllic right? Yet few of us realize the true reality of running a ranch, and Linda quickly dispels the myth.
“It’s not Yellowstone,” Linda says. Even though I’ve never seen the popular show I know exactly what she means. Riding horses with the picturesque, mountainous landscape and big blue skies come to my mind. The average person like me doesn’t even think about the hidden costs, and there are many.
“Irrigation is our biggest cost,” she says, and continues to explain that insurance and fuel prices are always rising. Fencing the property to keep the animals secured is a massive expense. Maintenance for machinery, ATVs to get around on the land, repairs, delays at the butcher (who are almost always booked out), and the list goes on.
“So many things to learn. It’s a great life. I love it, but it’s hard work.” She admits that most days are consumed with labor that never ends.
Finding consistent workers is also a constant struggle. “It’s long days, lots of lifting, hauling, bending, fixing, the need to weed by hand to avoid using pesticides or fertilizers. It’s really hard to find people who want to do this work long-term.”
Adding to the challenge, Oregon state labor laws do not allow for volunteers, although sometimes groups like WWOLF (Willing Workers on Local Farms) pitch in which is very helpful.
The unpredictability of income creates additional stress. “Government programs are supposed to help farmers, but they rarely work for small farms like ours,” Linda notes. Despite programs like Natural Resources Conservation Service grants for irrigation improvements, navigating paperwork and requirements often becomes another full-time job.
Unlike many of the vegetable farmers I have interviewed who tend to take the winter off, the work doesn’t stop at DD. When the fields are frozen, they’re preparing for calving season, dealing with paperwork, keeping the livestock fed, and more.
Yet for all the difficulty, Linda remains focused on the mission, which is to create something lasting, healthy and connected to the land. She believes the DD Ranch is finding its rhythm. Their products are stocked in stores across Central Oregon, including Oliver Lemon’s, Central Oregon Locavore, Newport Market, and others. Their Community Supported Agriculture shares are very popular. Local restaurants like SCP Redmond and Terra Kitchen feature their products. Customers can buy products online or visit the ranch to purchase individual cuts of meat or larger parts of the animal.
With so much effort and hard work, I’m pressed to ask Linda her advice for those who are thinking about getting into the business. Her advice for aspiring farmers is simple but straightforward.
“Start small and find a good mentor. Most farms go out of business within five years.”When asked about the future, the one idea that really seems to excite her is a running track on the property where athletes could come to train and possibly compete in tournaments and such. After all, combining the family’s passions makes total sense, and the ranch certainly has the room for it.
The ranch may also add overnight cabins and expand their event offerings, perhaps becoming a space where families can see firsthand what sustainable agriculture looks like, and maybe even join in the work or at least gain an appreciation for the land and the labor.
From sunup to sundown, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the Anspach family is cultivating not just crops and livestock but a different way of life, one rooted in sustainability. Even though the ranch may never be wildly profitable, it is undeniably rich in purpose, resilience and in connection to our food system.
So next time you see DD Ranch’s products on the shelf or at the market, grab one of those delicious jalapeño beef pepperoni sticks or a fresh cut of meat. More importantly, remember the story and mission behind the ranch. Think about the cows that used to wander the road, the hours of irrigation and other intensive labor, and the family who took a leap of faith in the Oregon High Desert to create a place where we can obtain healthful food. DD Ranch is a testament to what passion, grit, and perseverance can build, and hopefully, it will continue to grow.
This article appears in Source Weekly July 17, 2025.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
