Flying Mule Farm

At Flying Mule Farm, our mission is to produce the highest quality meats, vegetables and forest products in the most environmentally and economically sustainable manner possible.  Using animals, hand tools and, when necessary, motorized equipment, we are striving to leave our land and our community in better condition than we found them.

Our vision...

Flying Mule Farm is a diversified, full-time family farm that provides wholesome food and sustainably produced products for our community.  We are a business that others can learn from, and we are a family that helps our neighbors.  We work in partnership with our animals and with the natural world.  We support other farmers who share our vision of sustainable agriculture, and we work to be as self-sufficient as possible.

Our values...

• Our farming activities should be profitable and enjoyable.
• Farming is a family endeavor.
• We strive to leave the land (including the agricultural infrastructure) that we manage in better condition than when we found it.
• We work in partnership with animals (for traction, herding and harvesting crops).
• We value being able to tell our customers directly about our production practices rather than following a set of government-prescribed practices.
• We believe that grass-fed production is important for nutritional, ecological and economic reasons.
• We value being part of a farming community – we enjoy helping other farmers (and receiving their help).
• We value being a vital part of the larger community – we enjoy providing food and fiber for our neighbors.
• We help others get into farming.

Flying Mule Farm was founded in 2001 by Dan and Samia Macon.  Along with our daughters, Lara and Emma, we raise pastured poultry and eggs, and grass-fed lamb, beef and goat.  We also market firewood and custom milled lumber in partnership with Edwards Family Farm of Colfax.  Finally, we provide ecological restoration and land management services to a variety of local clients.

Who We Are

Dan Macon, a lifelong resident of the Sierra Nevada foothills, has a degree in agricultural economics from UC Davis.  He helped to found the California Rangeland Trust, a statewide land trust dedicated to the voluntary conservation of ranchland.  Dan is currently transitioning to full-time farming.

Samia Macon is a large animal veterinarian specializing in equines and food animals.  Also a graduate of UC Davis, her practice area ranges from El Dorado County in the south to Yuba County in the north.

Our daughters Lara and Emma are vital parts of our farming operations.  Both girls have their own small flocks of sheep and chickens and are increasingly involved in our marketing activities.

We are presently converting our operations to mule power.  Frisbee (pictured with Dan) was born at our farm in 2001.  We use her to skid logs in our firewood and lumber milling enterprises.  She is also used to till our cropland and as a riding animal in our livestock operation.  We believe that animal power offers a viable alternative to fossil fuels, especially at the scale of our operation!

We are members of PlacerGROWN, the Gold Country Sheep Producer's Association, the Foothill Farmer's Market Association and the Society for Range Management.