Posted: Warren Record, Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:43 am | Updated: 8:45 am, Wed Mar 15, 2017.
By Luci Weldon
By Luci Weldon
After spending their careers in the technology field working in cities across the country, Doug and Linda Knudson retired to Five Oaks Family Farm in the Oakville community, where they operate a new venture, Five Oaks Beef.
Linda grew up on a family farm in Nebraska. Doug’s naval service took him to cities in Florida, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington and as far away as Spain. Then their careers brought them together. Both were working for a robotics company in California when they met. They married and moved to Raleigh in 1994, where they worked in software development. The Knudsons later formed a custom software development corporation.
Doug and Linda recalled that when they moved to Raleigh, they settled in a more rural area on a 1-acre lot that seemed large by California standards. They enjoyed their new way of life and having the space to grow a small garden. Then Raleigh’s expansion boom began. Suddenly, the Knudson’s peaceful acre became part of an ever-growing urban area, and they knew they wanted something different. Both Linda and Doug wanted a quiet setting, and Linda was interested in a more self-sustaining mode of living.
They considered Virgilina on the North Carolina/Virginia border before their real estate agent showed them the former Gid King place in the Oakville community. The Knudsons knew they found the perfect place to retire and purchased the property in 2009. That year was a busy one of the couple, as they closed their business and worked on their house in Warren County, enlarging the kitchen and master bedroom. Linda said that their 13-acre farm might be small by country standards, but they think it is perfect. “We love it here,” she said. Doug said that the couple moved to the farm with the idea of retiring and raising a garden, but then they saw the cattle on the land. The property’s previous owners had leased the King family’s pasture to someone raising cattle.
Doug and Linda, who support the growing initiative of providing locally-grown, farm-to-table produce and meats, wanted to develop a farm-to-table beef operation. They made improvements to their pastures, such as repairing fences, and developed a business plan for what would become Five Oaks Beef. The Knudsons explained that there are actually seven oaks on their property, but the name Five Oaks sounded better.
Around 2010 or 2011, the couple bought their first three brood cows. The Knudsons operate their farm as a low-stress, natural environment where their cattle’s diet consists of grass in warmer months and hay in colder months. They pride themselves on raising cattle without the use of artificial growth hormones, steroids or feed-based antibiotics.
Five Oaks Beef has now expanded to include 18 black and red angus, and angus-cross cattle. Doug and Linda lease pastureland at Newell Farms near Warrenton, where they have their breeding stock. After the cattle are weaned, they are moved to the Five Oaks property in Oakville.
The Knudsons explained that the time from “breed cow to steak” is about three years to allow the cattle time to mature with the proper diet for lean meat with a bit of fat for flavor and tenderness. Beef is processed at North Carolina facilities.
Doug and Linda made their first beef sale last fall. Five Oaks Beef offers its meats in packages that range from ground beef, roasts or steaks to those that offer a variety of cuts. Orders may be picked up at the farm, and delivery can be scheduled. So far, customers have included residents of Warren County and as far away as Siler City, Chapel Hill, Garner and Durham. Linda and Doug are trying to figure out how they can economically deliver their beef to New York, where the mother of a Garner customer lives.
Doug and Linda’s lives have changed dramatically since they moved from Raleigh to Oakville. Their days now include moving cattle, installing and repairing fences, buying and moving hay, and other farm-related work. However, they can’t imagine doing anything else.
“It’s a lot of work, but we love it,” Doug said. “It gives us a sense of accomplishment,” Linda added. “At the end of the day, we look back and see what we’ve accomplished (for) our farm, family and community.”
For more information about Five Oaks Beef, visit fiveoaksbeef.com, the Facebook page at facebook.com/fiveoaksbeef or call 252-257-5994.
Linda grew up on a family farm in Nebraska. Doug’s naval service took him to cities in Florida, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington and as far away as Spain. Then their careers brought them together. Both were working for a robotics company in California when they met. They married and moved to Raleigh in 1994, where they worked in software development. The Knudsons later formed a custom software development corporation.
Doug and Linda recalled that when they moved to Raleigh, they settled in a more rural area on a 1-acre lot that seemed large by California standards. They enjoyed their new way of life and having the space to grow a small garden. Then Raleigh’s expansion boom began. Suddenly, the Knudson’s peaceful acre became part of an ever-growing urban area, and they knew they wanted something different. Both Linda and Doug wanted a quiet setting, and Linda was interested in a more self-sustaining mode of living.
They considered Virgilina on the North Carolina/Virginia border before their real estate agent showed them the former Gid King place in the Oakville community. The Knudsons knew they found the perfect place to retire and purchased the property in 2009. That year was a busy one of the couple, as they closed their business and worked on their house in Warren County, enlarging the kitchen and master bedroom. Linda said that their 13-acre farm might be small by country standards, but they think it is perfect. “We love it here,” she said. Doug said that the couple moved to the farm with the idea of retiring and raising a garden, but then they saw the cattle on the land. The property’s previous owners had leased the King family’s pasture to someone raising cattle.
Doug and Linda, who support the growing initiative of providing locally-grown, farm-to-table produce and meats, wanted to develop a farm-to-table beef operation. They made improvements to their pastures, such as repairing fences, and developed a business plan for what would become Five Oaks Beef. The Knudsons explained that there are actually seven oaks on their property, but the name Five Oaks sounded better.
Around 2010 or 2011, the couple bought their first three brood cows. The Knudsons operate their farm as a low-stress, natural environment where their cattle’s diet consists of grass in warmer months and hay in colder months. They pride themselves on raising cattle without the use of artificial growth hormones, steroids or feed-based antibiotics.
Five Oaks Beef has now expanded to include 18 black and red angus, and angus-cross cattle. Doug and Linda lease pastureland at Newell Farms near Warrenton, where they have their breeding stock. After the cattle are weaned, they are moved to the Five Oaks property in Oakville.
The Knudsons explained that the time from “breed cow to steak” is about three years to allow the cattle time to mature with the proper diet for lean meat with a bit of fat for flavor and tenderness. Beef is processed at North Carolina facilities.
Doug and Linda made their first beef sale last fall. Five Oaks Beef offers its meats in packages that range from ground beef, roasts or steaks to those that offer a variety of cuts. Orders may be picked up at the farm, and delivery can be scheduled. So far, customers have included residents of Warren County and as far away as Siler City, Chapel Hill, Garner and Durham. Linda and Doug are trying to figure out how they can economically deliver their beef to New York, where the mother of a Garner customer lives.
Doug and Linda’s lives have changed dramatically since they moved from Raleigh to Oakville. Their days now include moving cattle, installing and repairing fences, buying and moving hay, and other farm-related work. However, they can’t imagine doing anything else.
“It’s a lot of work, but we love it,” Doug said. “It gives us a sense of accomplishment,” Linda added. “At the end of the day, we look back and see what we’ve accomplished (for) our farm, family and community.”
For more information about Five Oaks Beef, visit fiveoaksbeef.com, the Facebook page at facebook.com/fiveoaksbeef or call 252-257-5994.
