Situated on 700 acres in Richmond, Utah, Tripp Family Farm has taken a distinctive approach to cattle farming. Managed by Mark and Adam Tripp, the farm that has been in Adam’s family since the 1860s has evolved into a place where sick animals are nursed back to health and healthy animals that have lived long, happy lives, are treated and harvested in the most humane ways possible.
Mark is a trained CNA, but originally from Idaho, he’s a farm boy at heart. The farm is currently home to 118 cattle, 188 chickens, a llama, several sheep, ducks, and rabbits. This is due in part to Adam’s father, Dr. Scott Tripp, who was a veterinarian and dairy specialist. Dr. Tripp now works as an expert on farm practices to help farms be sustainable. In addition, Mark studies genomic research on cattle, looking at the heritage of cattle and breeding in an effort to get back to having healthy cows free of genetic issues due to inbreeding.
“Animals come to us by a number of ways, whether it is due to a farm going bankrupt or an animal that is sick. We nurse them back to health, into a working order, then take them back to the owner when they are sustainable,” said Adam.
The Tripp farm is not your typical beef production farm by any means. They do not raise calves until they are just old enough to harvest. Rather, they keep their cows for eight or nine years before harvesting. They are grass-fed, free range, and are given the best quality of life possible. In fact, their processes of ethical treatment and how they use their animals are USDA inspected and approved—one of only a few farms to do so.
“This has been a fun process for me. Where I use to take care of sick humans, now I take care of sick calves,” said Mark. “By giving them my time and understanding their illness, I am able to treat them and get them back to health. We invite people to come and visit our cows. We treat our sick animals with B and C vitamins, not hormones or antibiotics.”
The farm is also venturing into hosting events in their large barn, which can house large groups, complete with a stage. It’s the perfect space for a barn wedding.
You can purchase fresh eggs and beef from the Tripp farm at the Island Market in Logan, and they recently introduced a bulk sales method of beef purchases for groups.
Tripp Family Farms
715 South 250 East
Richmond, Utah 84333
trippfamilyfarm@gmail.com
