The farm raises about 30 sows, usually Yorkshires, a breed that has large litters and strong maternal instincts. These sows are resting indoors while nursing, out of the afternoon heat, but they typically roam the property on pasture.

Mark originally introduced sheep to the ranch for weed control in the vineyards and now raises them for meat. They graze on pasture when grass is plentiful in the spring and are moved back to the vineyards in the summer.

Miriam and Mark began raising rabbits about 15 years ago as a 4-H project for their daughters. They started with three rabbits. They now have about 2,000! They were one of the first farms in the area to raise rabbits on a commercial scale, and the rabbits are in high demand among restaurants. To utilize the whole animal, the ranch also sells rabbit pelts and feet.

The rabbits are a mix of Rex, New Zealand, and Californian breeds in a range of colors. Each breeding doe (mother rabbit) is housed in her own cage, and babies are kept with their mothers until they are weaned, usually after about six weeks. They are slaughtered at a facility in the Central Valley at 10 to 12 weeks, when they reach about 5 pounds.

Each doe is given a name (this one is named Zinger) and their cages are labeled to help distinguish them. Naming the rabbits is a way of showing them respect, Miriam said.

These tiny rabbits are just three days old! They have not grown their coat of fur or opened their eyes yet.

Chef Thomas McNaughton visited the ranch with us to provide his farm-to-table perspective. His San Francisco restaurants, Central Kitchen and Flour + Water, are among Devil’s Gulch’s best customers. He makes a point to purchase whole animals and use every part in his dishes and cured meats. Off of a 300-pound pig carcass, only 2 or 3 pounds may not make it to the plate.