Responsible reciprocation
Walking the ranch with friends and partners in cattle: Adam Gordon & Will Densberger.
Knights Valley Wagyu on Ghost Donkey Ranch is 227 acres in Calistoga, CA and has been a working cattle ranch for over 100 years, founded by Jane Campbell & her family.
The restaurant relationships depend on 3 main factors:
Proximity
Chefs who actually cook in their kitchen
Shared values of authenticity, equity & sustainability
Adam Gordon, Founder
Adam is a 4th generation New Yorker. He served on the Directors' Cabinet at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and participated in developing the institution’s 100 year plan.
He chose to settle in Sonoma because of the food and wine and community of vintage car owners. Everything he does is with intention. When he settled in Northern California, he felt he needed to contribute something: democratize access to great food and cause motion to tilt towards providing high level care in a moral and ethical way.
Will Densberger, rancher & partner
Will was born on the Connolly Polled Hereford Ranch in Napa Valley which is now the home of Joseph Phelps Vineyard. Later, he worked summers with this grandfather on the La Herradura Ranch in the Conn Valley area of St. Helena where he developed his grandfather’s approach to natural and stress-free livestock handling.
After securing a degree in Finance, Will entered the world of corporate real estate. He was the senior asset manager for significant Ag-based operations including two 10,000-acre CA ranches, one of which Will sold to The Nature Conservancy. Later Will helped TNC launch a 501(c)3 non-profit company (Conservation Farms and Ranches) under the TNC umbrella focused on Wildlife friendly farming. Will served as CFR’s first CEO.
4 mornings per week, his routine starts at dawn. He checks the temperament of the heffers ensuring they are relaxed and fed. He is a team of one-ish.
The ranch-raised wagyu have 100% Japanese genetics. Mothers and calves are segregated to offer the most relaxed environment and cows are grouped by age and temperament. They forage on native grasses, supplemented by a customized nutritional mixture. Will and his wife, Liz, hand-feed the waygu twice daily.
Traditional wagyu are raised in pens and little activity. The meat results in a marbled and delicious fatty texture; typically enjoyed in small portions. Knights Valley cows roam freely and result in a leaner meat and maintains the unique wagyu flavor.
farm to fork Lifecycle
Raising the cattle is a 27 month process from birth to restaurant delivery.
The cows have a natural relationship, calves are born in Fall and spend time with their mothers until Spring.
The weening process begins by separating the calves by fence. For 6 months, they are still able to connect and eat with their mothers but not nursing. Through the seasons they continue to roam separately and are given supplement through specific rations of hay.
13 to 14 month old heffers are kept to breed. 27 months old or 1400 pounds in weight are sent to a USDA facility in Petaluma to be processed for meat, then prepared and delivered to our restaurant, Troubadour.
Longevity
For inclement weather, babies use the shelters. The older cows don’t seem to mind much.
The property is regularly maintained by removing heavy brush, clearing any downed trees and the cows graze the whole ranch to reduce fuel load.
Adam is partnering with Stanford University researchers to develop a fire resilience plan for Knights Valley and ensure the ecosystem's long-term survival.
Adam Gordon & Kristina Oneal purchased the ranch about a decade ago as a home, preserve, and site for a series of virtuous agriculture projects. The land is devoted to wildlife, native plants, and cattle. No pesticides, fertilizers, or chemical agents are allowed and water usage is minimal. Cows drink from the stream or water troughs. The ranch is set behind other properties, providing a tranquil setting with no road noise or impacts.
You can find Knights Valley Wagyu as Steak Tartare in the Le Dîner menu.