By Jan Jackson
Never in a million years did Jonathan Ehmig dream that at the age of 28 he would be married to the girl next door and raising cattle on the farm where he grew up. Highland Oak Farm is 160-acres of well-kept pastureland between Stayton and Scio on which Ehmig raises and direct-markets natural grass fed, black Angus cattle that produce meat often compared with the famous Kobe beef from Japan.
“I originally planned on starting a business with a nursery and greenhouses or maybe even planting a large portion as a vineyard,” Ehmig said. “Both required a large initial investment and since I did not see the entire farm being used for both of those ventures, I decided to begin with cattle. I chose black Angus because it not only is established as a high-quality breed throughout the country but it is well known for its exceptional tenderness. My grandfather and uncle run black Angus on their ranch in California and I figured that was a good, superior quality starting point for me.”
Ehmig was 11 years old when his family moved to Oregon. His mother was born in Corvallis but her parents had moved to California when she was a baby. She had always wanted to move back. He went to school at St. Mary’s and Regis in Stayton and got his bachelor of science degree in horticulture from Oregon State University.
In 2004, Ehmig watched as renters plowed under parcels of the farm and cut down trees to make way for Christmas trees. He decided he needed to do something to keep the property from further damage. When his mother moved away in 2005, he bought the farm.
While Ehmig was growing up on Highland Oak Farm, Rachel Brokaw was growing up on the farm next door. The two became friends, eventually married and now live on the farm with their three children.
“Jade is 7, Ethan is 5 and Luke is 8 months,” Ehmig said of his family. “Jade and Ethan feed with me a few times a week, take out the trash and rake leaves and will do more when they get older. Rachel’s father, Lee Brokaw, still lives next door. I’m lucky to have his expert help a couple of days a week. He came here from a 3,000-acre Hereford ranch in South Dakota and has been very generous with his help and expertise. This place was inundated with Scotch Broom and Himalaya blackberries and he restored it to beautiful pasture.”
It was in college that Ehmig became interested in the whole organic movement and he read some books about how cattle could be raised in a sustainable and humane manner. Though he isn’t certified organic, he feeds a 100 percent vegetarian diet and never gives his cattle any antibiotics or synthetic hormones.
Throughout the growing season he weekly rotates them in temporary paddocks. During the winter, the cattle have access to fresh bedding in the 85-year-old barn. He currently has 120 yearlings, though the number fluctuates between 50 to 120 throughout the year. At no time do they ever see a feedlot.
Chef David Barber, owner of Three Square Grill in Portland, is one of Ehmig’s satisfied customers.
“When Jonathan and I met two years ago at the Farmer Chef Connection sponsored by the Portland Chef Collaborative, we went over the details of his operation and I could see that his natural non-feed-lot raised beef was exactly what I was looking for,” Barber said. “I look for quality and even his ground beef is aged just like his steaks.
“My wife, Barb, and I specialize in American regional cuisine and to be able to buy fresh directly from quality producers like Highland Oak Farms is important to us. We try to use as much organic and minimally processed products as possible and we deal directly with ranchers and farmers like Jonathan.”
As part of Ehmig’s goal to keep his farm sustainable, he enrolled the farm in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
“We will be planting thousands of natives to enhance wildlife corridors along our two creeks and install fencing to reduce erosion along their banks,” Ehmig said. “We are also a supporter of renewable energy and will use 100 percent wind power and run all of our equipment on biodiesel derived from used vegetable oil. We are constantly striving to keep balance with nature on the farm where we believe abundant healthy pastures translate into a delicious healthy product. We focus on quality at every stage.”
For details about Highland Oak Farm, where to find Oak Hills Farm Beef or to order direct from the farm, call Ehmig at 503-551-2680, e-mail info@highland oakfarm.com or visit www.highlandoakfarm.com. Three Square Grill’s Web site is www.threesquare.com.
