Mike Callicrate, the founder of Ranch Foods Direct, is a rancher, business entrepreneur and family farm advocate. Considered the “go-to expert” on the negative consequences of industrial meat production, he served as an advisor for the films Food Inc. and FRESH and for several best-selling books including Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
A native of Evergreen, Colorado, he earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Colorado State University in 1975 and then moved to St. Francis, Kansas, where he began his career in farming and ranching. In 2000, he formed Ranch Foods Direct to sell high quality naturally raised beef directly to customers. Since then, it has grown into a prominent, well-respected marketing outlet in the community for small farmers and artisanal food producers from throughout the region. Today Mike’s farm follows a multi-species regenerative agricultural model, using the natural synergies between cattle, hogs and chickens to optimize the health of the livestock and the land.
Ranch Foods Direct is more than a butcher shop. It’s a movement to restore integrity to the food system.
Visit either Colorado Springs location for a beautiful fresh meat counter, delicious and convenient prepared meals made by an in-house chef, and a wide selection of unique products sourced from the surrounding region.
Why We Do What We Do
The American meat industry is dominated by a handful of big corporations. This concentration doesn’t just impact prices — it affects farmers, communities, animal welfare, and food quality. Over time, the connection between people and their food has been lost, leaving us more vulnerable to disruptions in the food supply and making it harder to provide for ourselves and future generations.
The short video below gives a glimpse into how that happened — and why it matters.
At Ranch Foods Direct, we’ve taken a different approach. We raise our own animals on pasture, handle slaughter on-site, and process everything locally. There are no shortcuts, no middlemen, and no guesswork.
Building a trustworthy food system means creating one that’s dependable, resilient, and rooted in the health of our communities. We’re working to build a sustainable network that not only nourishes us, but strengthens local economies and gives us the power to ensure long-term well-being. That’s true food freedom — the freedom to control what’s on our plates, to know where it comes from, and to never be stuck depending on a system that doesn’t have our best interests at heart.
We invite you to watch the short video below and see for yourselves why this matters.
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL:
A few years back, Mike Callicrate received a call from a Texas cattle-country native, whom offered some inspiring words with his testimonial. Patrick Orr left this detailed voicemail on Mike Callicrate’s phone, explaining how he had not tasted such good beef in many years, ever since he left Texas cattle-country.
- We believe food should be good — and good for you.
- We believe food is a sacred gift.
- We believe our health and well-being is best served with whole foods, minimally processed, free of chemicals and artificial preservatives.
- We believe quantity should not come at the expense of quality.
- We believe food, animals and the land should be managed using sustainable, humane practices that promote the long-term health of rural families and communities.
- We believe food should be produced as close to our tables as possible by people who love the soil and care for the land.
- We believe the people who produce our food should earn a just income.