Our Story
Chesed Ranch is more than a property—it is the realization of a shared vision.
For Chris and Michelle, the ranch represents a commitment to faith, stewardship, hard work, and the belief that meaningful things are built one step at a time. What began as a piece of raw native North Florida land has grown into a family ranch dedicated to responsible animal husbandry, land stewardship, and the pursuit of a life more closely connected to the land.
The name Chesed comes from a Hebrew word often translated as loving-kindness, mercy, steadfast love, grace, and covenant faithfulness. Those values serve as the foundation for everything we strive to build here—from the way we care for our animals and land to the way we approach family, community, and service.
Chesed Ranch is not a commercial operation built around production alone. It is a place of continual learning, improvement, and stewardship. Every project, every fence line, every orchard planting, and every new addition to the ranch reflects a desire to leave the land better than we found it and to create something that will endure for future generations.
Today, the ranch is home to Registered American Aberdeen cattle, two horses, goats, a donkey, a Zebu, poultry, an Anatolian Shepherd (and her two guard cats), orchards, gardens, and a growing collection of projects that reflect our passion for agriculture, husbandry, and rural life.
While much has been accomplished since 2019, we still consider ourselves students of the land, always learning and always improving.
Welcome to Chesed Ranch. We’re glad you’re here.
Meet the Family
About Chris & Michelle
Chesed Ranch is the result of a lifelong connection to agriculture, a shared vision for stewardship, and a belief that meaningful things are built through patience, hard work, and faith.
Chris was raised on a multi-generational family farm in eastern Iowa, where he grew up raising livestock and farming alongside his family. Agriculture was more than an occupation—it was a way of life that instilled the values of responsibility, stewardship, and respect for the land. After joining the United States Navy as an Electronics Technician in 1990, he eventually settled in Northeast Florida and built a successful career in information technology and cybersecurity. Yet despite decades spent in the technology industry, the desire to return to the land never faded.
Michelle’s path was different, but she shared many of the same values. Together, they discovered a common vision for building a life centered around faith, stewardship, family, and agriculture.
In 2019, Chris and Michelle were married and purchased the property that would become Chesed Ranch. What began as ten acres of untouched North Florida timberland has gradually been transformed into a working family ranch focused on responsible animal husbandry, thoughtful land stewardship, orchards, livestock, and sustainable agriculture.
Today, Chesed Ranch serves as both a working ranch and a living example of what can be accomplished through intentional stewardship. Through livestock, orchards, gardens, and ongoing land improvement projects, Chris and Michelle hope to share not only the products of the ranch, but also the lessons learned along the journey.
They believe that animal husbandry and land stewardship are more than agricultural practices—they are responsibilities entrusted to each generation. Their goal is simple: to leave the land, the animals, and the lives they touch better than they found them.
The Animals
- American Aberdeen cattle
- Phoenix
- Debby
- Ginny
- Noelle
- Caroline
- Lola
- Horses
- Coco
- Daisy
- Donkey
- Snowball
- Poultry
- Our LGD (Anatolian Shepherd) Athena
- Yoda and Leia (our guard kitties)