The Story of Uproot

Who We Are 

Our story is pretty simple, actually. After experiencing a life-changing meal at Thomas Keller’s world-famous French Laundry, a dream was planted: to develop a closer relationship to food and the land on which it is grown. 

Like most Americans, Krista grew up on a steady diet of corn-fed meats. Unlike most Americans, she became a vegan as a result. Once the real story of the lives of these factory-farmed animals became clear, the only solution for her was to eliminate meat from her diet completely. 

But wait, you may ask - a vegan running a meat business? The idea of sustainable meat farming (and the transition back to a clean and sustainably sourced meat diet) didn’t cross her mind until years later, which is where our story begins. 

Ready for a change, Krista moved to Bend, Oregon in 2012 and purchased a 10-acre farm where veggies and eventually layer hens thrived. According to a local geologist friend, the land was ideal for heritage pigs and Krista was warming to the idea of meat raised with a conscience. 

Over a plate of Full-Circle bacon, eggs from the backyard, and coffee roasted right there at home, a breakfast operation, Gunpowder Roasting Ranch was born. Soon Krista was raising corn and soy-free pasture-raised heritage pork, farm-fresh eggs, and micro-roasting coffee for local foodies in Bend and beyond. 

In 2016 Krista uprooted her small family operation and headed for the milder winters in the hills above Ashland. They selected land recently scarred by fire and bursting with oak meadow. They knew the environment would offer their animals plenty of instinctual foraging, great for muscle tone development, resulting in the most nutrient-rich fats and a clean flavor-packed source of vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, super happy pigs!

Uproot Meats, was started by badass women on a serious mission to make a difference. 

Krista (left) oversees the livestock planning, general operation, and land management needs. Her role is to ensure and provide resources to the team to sustain the most humane and quality raising practices in the small production of heritage, slow grown meats.

Tiffani (right) is Uproot’s lead delivery driver. A veteran to the family farm who has been there since day one. This is a hard-working future leader in the farming community. She currently manages deliveries,  a pivotal role to the convenient doorstep delivery service, ensuring members receive a safe and reliable source of local protein. 

What We Stand For: 

● Love - We care for the earth, our animals, and each other with the utmost respect. 

● Sustainability - We tread lightly on the planet and do all we can to give back, and then some. 

● Convenience - We are committed to making it easy to buy farm-fresh, local meat. 

● Quality - We love what we do and work hard to provide our customers with products that exceed expectations. 

● Fun - If it’s not fun, what’s the point?