Freedom Acres Ranch
A Marine Corps veteran family tackles food insecurity on their Colorado ranch.
Crisis and Community
After Hurricane Harvey hit their community in 2017, the Mallery family was deeply affected by the loss of food access that they both saw and experienced. “It was just really devastating,” says Michelle Mallery.
As they rebuilt their lives, they decided to create their own food sources, ones they could rely on to feed themselves and their community. “It became really important to us how we sourced our food and where it came from,” recalls CW Mallery. “And so we took off. We were in an RV trying to figure out where we were going to go,” says Michelle.
That journey led them to Colorado, where they founded Freedom Acres Ranch in 2020. Today, they raise cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, turkeys, goats, and ducks, and donate 5% of every sale to food insecurity initiatives in underserved communities.
It wasn’t an easy beginning, but CW’s upbringing farming alongside his grandparents, paired with Michelle’s Marine Corps experience, helped lay the groundwork.
“The model of the Marine Corps is adapt and overcome. So when we see problems, we think about solutions,” says Michelle.
“[Doing this work] with this grant has been really helpful. Because financial barriers are really an obstacle.”
- Michelle Mallery
Starting from Zero
When they first came to Freedom Acres, the biggest problem was the land itself. “It was in bad condition,” Michelle says. “It was just left to its own devices. Everything we've done has been from ground zero.”
The Mallerys wanted to bring the land back to life using natural methods that “wouldn’t leave our footprint on it, and work with nature. We want to be good stewards of the land.” They began learning about regenerative farming methods like composting and rotational grazing. “Things to rebuild the soil, to hold in moisture, and just bring it back to life,” says CW.
This experimentation with regenerative practices led to applying for ZFP’s Restore grant. “[Doing this work] with this grant has been really helpful. Because financial barriers are really an obstacle.”
Being in a dry, windy climate, the Mallerys have had to contend with soil erosion from strong winds. With the Restore grant, they’ve been able to plant native grasses and trees that are deep-rooted and strong enough to hold the soil in place.
Growing the Next Generation of Farmers
When looking to the future, the Malleys want to continue their work regenerating their land. They also intend to pass farming on to the next generation.
“We love teaching, and so when we get the funding to do more, it's all hands on deck. I think that in teaching our kids, and teaching other children young, we instill in them these great practices that protect the environment,” says Michelle. “They're working with nature, and it's like a gift that keeps on giving - teaching the next generation who will eventually feed us. We love what we do.”
About Freedom Acres Ranch
Freedom Acres Ranch is veteran owned, family operated ranch rooted in service, resilience and purpose. As a proud Marine Corps veteran family, ranching is more than a lifestyle—it’s our therapy, our purpose, and our way of continuing to serve. Ranching has brought healing and fulfillment to our lives, just as serving in the military once did. Now, instead of defending lives overseas, we’re saving lives here at home—through access to healthy, farm-fresh food from our ranch to your table.
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Zero Foodprint awards grants for projects that take carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back where it belongs: in the earth, creating healthy soil and better food. To do this, we focus on regenerative farming practices like composting, cover cropping, and managed grazing that can restore life to our soil while removing carbon from the atmosphere. Together, we have the power to grow more nutritious food, heal natural water cycles, and create habitat for biodiversity to thrive. Explore previously funded projects to see what this might look like on your farm.
For more information, read through other Restore Grant FAQs.oes here
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
