Red Gate Farm, LLC

Red Gate Farm began in central Illinois with a dream of a sustainable homestead, raising most of the family's meat and produce for over a decade. Utilizing draft horses instead of tractors, the farm grew to offer a variety of clinics and tours. In 2021, the farm relocated to 50 acres in southern Illinois, where it continues to expand and refine its practices.

Produce is raised GMO-free without chemical pesticides or herbicides, often using heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. Meat animals are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or chemicals, including heritage Red Wattle pigs, Alpine Dairy Goats, grass-fed Hereford cattle, meat rabbits, and pastured poultry. The farm employs draft horses for heavy tasks, maintains a passive-solar, off-grid home, uses rain-collection and compost systems, and practices rotational grazing. Pigs help manage invasive species, and livestock guardian dogs protect against predators. The farm also selectively logs and flash-grazes livestock to improve woodland health.

The farm offers a variety of homestead and self-sufficiency classes and clinics. Poultry free-range to build topsoil and reduce parasites, while barn cats control smaller pests. The farm is also developing a fruit and berry orchard, a new garden, and a pond for fish. Educational opportunities include horse training and driving instruction, and the farm maintains a focus on family and faith-based farming.