Occupation: Retired but busy homesteader working with his wife to provide their table with as much organic food as possible, either by growing it or acquiring it from local producers.

Residence: Central Oregon

Background and Personal History: Ron spent the early years of his life working on wheat farms. Ron and his wife both have educational backgrounds in the wildlife and biological science fields. The couple has spent the last number of years working at a local greenhouse and nursery. They have gardened organically for more than 15 years, have numerous fruit trees, chickens and keep bees at three locations.

Current projects: Demand for Ron’s raw, chemical-free honey exceeds what he can produce. As people learn more about what is in the commercial honey they buy, they have continued to gravitate to what Ron has to offer. His is a small operation and produces 15 to 20 gallons of honey per year, though Ron is in the process of expanding.

Other Fun Facts: Ron and his wife love to travel to the coast and other local destinations in their 1989 Vanagon. They have a large English Mastiff and generally enjoy sharing the knowledge they’ve garnered over the years about keeping organic gardens and bees while sipping quality, hand-crafted beer.