Windy N Ranch – Ellensburg, WA

Owned and operated by the Newhall family (Bradley, Lisha, Greg and Laurie), Windy N Ranch in Ellensburg, Washington raises Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW) cattle, pigs, meat sheep, meat goats, and chickens for meat and eggs. With five separate livestock species currently certified, Windy N Ranch is the most diverse farm in the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW program!

Farming is a second career for all of the Newhalls. After many years in development, Greg and Laurie acquired the land that would become Windy N Ranch in 2004, expecting to turn some profit as a small haying operation. Things changed after they bought a few laying hens, then meat chickens, then a few cows. As the operation grew, a vision of utilizing the land to produce a clean, humanely raised alternative to factory farmed meat formed, so too did the need for extra hands. That’s why, in 2011, Greg and Laurie’s son-in-law Bradley and his wife Lisha moved to Ellensburg to help with the expansion. “That’s when things really started to get out of control,” jokes Bradley, “because next came more cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.”

The Newhalls hope to continually improve their animal husbandry practices, which is one of the reasons they sought certification with A Greener World. “We knew we were facing a steep learning curve coming into this,” Bradley says. “It made sense to tap the resources that AGW offers. Their auditors are extremely knowledgeable, and the fact that they work to not just certify, but educate and promote high-welfare ranchers has been extremely beneficial in helping us to realize our vision.”

Windy N Ranch achieved another first when they earned the distinction of the first farm in Washington state to become Certified Grassfed by AGW for its sheep and goats in 2015, followed by cattle in 2020. This is the only certification and logo in the U.S. and Canada that guarantees food products come from animals fed a 100% grass and forage diet, are raised outdoors on pasture or range for their entire lives and managed according to the highest welfare and environmental standards on an independent farm. Explaining why the farm decided to add the grassfed certification, Bradley says: “The push right now for honest labeling and legitimately grassfed and finished meats is huge. The fact that AGW has real credibility is a big win for us, as it helps us gain our customer’s trust.” For the ranch’s non-ruminants–those that can’t get all their nutrition from grass, Windy N Ranch grinds their own Certified Organic soy- and corn-free feed.

Windy N Ranch welcomes prearranged tours of the ranch. Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW beef, goat and lamb, and Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW chicken, pork and eggs are available to order online with pick-ups on site or in their Bellevue drop site, as well as for purchase at several regional farmers markets. To find Windy N Ranch’s Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW products, or for more information about the ranch, visit windynranch.com, email bradley@windyNranch.com or call (509) 260-2008. Follow Windy N Ranch on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.