our story at rocking r farms

   Ray has farming in his blood. One side of his family raised dairy cows and the other raised range cattle. He worked on the farm beside his parents and grandparents much of his adolescent life.

   Ray also spent most of his career as a contract, and that work led to Robyn while both worked in Las Vegas. Robyn was the regional manager of a company and she hired Ray to fix a leaky roof at some apartments owned by her employer. Ray was drawn to Robyn the minute he walked into her office, but he left without asking her out. Robyn told an employee to catch Ray and ask him to come back in before he got into his truck. That night, they went out on a date and not long afterward, Ray asked Robyn to marry him. Their love is still very strong today and memories are rekindled every time they walk a bride and groom through their property.

   In 2010, Ray wanted to return to his roots, so he and Robyn bought a 5-acre farm in Queen Creek, AZ and named it Rocking R Farms. Ray brought cattle to the farm along with horses, including his favorite horse, T-Rex, who roams contentedly through the front pasture. Not far behind the cattle and horse purchases were pigs, chickens and emus. Their final additions were two adorable dwarf Nigerian goats, Addy and Patches. Their antics make children and adults alike squeal and laugh. 

   In 2012, they hosted Ray’s family reunion. As Ray and his dad talked, they thought the farm would be a great backdrop for family reunions for others. The dream was set aside for the more lucrative beef business Ray had begun. He and Robyn sold grass-fed beef, eggs, greens, and tomatoes at farmer’s markets and through word-of-mouth. 

   In 2016, the bottom fell out of the American grass-fed beef market when commodity agents were allowed to flood the market with grass-fed beef from other countries.

   Ray and Robyn re-evaluated their priorities and realized that what brings the most joy and motivation is in helping others find the same in their lives. Family is important to them, so they wanted to provide a place for family, friends and colleagues to relax, play and celebrate the important times in their lives. The dream that Ray and his dad discussed years back became Ray and Robyn’s future reality and the idea for family reunions grew to include weddings, corporate events,  parties, and community gatherings. 

   What was once a dream to use their farm to bring joy to others moved from dream to paper. They planned, designed, and built the Knotty Barn. Ray modeled the design after his grandfather’s rustic farm, built in the 1800s. 

   As the Knotty Barn opened its doors in 2019, Ray and Robyn’s dreams became reality. They now want your dreams do the same within the Knotty Barn’s walls. 

   You can read about how the Knotty Barn was built its page.