The Story of Uproot

Who We Are 

Our story is far from simple, actually. Krista Vegter gained generational stealth and love of sharing good food with good people from her mentors — Mary Mendez Trujillo, her grandma, and her dad, Gary Vegter. Both sustained her in turbulent, small-scale food production for over the last decade.

Krista was raised in the 80’s - 90’s in San Jose, California. Like many, she grew up on convenience food — the despairing disconnection and lack of respect for the primary source of fuel that drives us as humans.

Krista’s primary care giver was a single mother of three on WIC. She worked full-time and the family lived in an array of subsidized housing nooks within Santa Clara County. Naming the meat on her plate was not a thing in Krista’s world, nor for the community that raised her. Eating at the dinner table was a rare occurrence.

In her 20’s, Krista became a vegan, studying Environmental Building, Science and Business.

But wait, you may ask - a vegan running a meat business? The idea of sustainable meat farming (and the transition back to a clean and sustainably sourced meat diet) didn’t cross her mind until years later, which is where our story begins. 

After moving to Oregon in 2012, Krista decided she wanted to take her life experience in environmental studies and science and apply it to farming. Farming on small acres was a program that Oregon State University Extension offered. This program laid out guidance, tools, and formed the takeoff phase of what became Krista’s first farm business, Gunpowder Ranch in Bend, Oregon.

At that time, in 2014, Krista’s 13-year-old niece, Tiffani, along with the rest of the family began breeding heritage pork in Tumalo, Oregon on their 10-acre homestead. Krista developed the focus of farm operation on heritage pigs, raised free range as an alternative to big commercial farming methods. The first on-farm conversation with the ODA inspector gave them insight, and founded the pipe dream to establish an on-farm butcher shop.

In 2016 Krista moved her small family operation to the milder winters in the hills above Ashland, Oregon and Uproot Meats was born. Charmed by the acorn rich forest and beauty of a 28-acre Ashland hillside, she found the perfect spot to raise heritage pigs. The land, scarred by fire and bursting with oak meadows, offers animals plenty of instinctual foraging, great for muscle tone development, and results in the most nutrient-rich fats, a clean flavor-packed source of vitamins and minerals.

Uproot Meats is powered by badass humans on a serious mission to make a difference. From the natural hands-off approach of farrowing to the meticulous corn and soy free diet, to the community-supported recycled waste the animals are raised on, sustainability has been the key factor to all of the farm’s efforts. Krista is a full-time farmer. Outside of the farm, Krista enjoys teaching — the opportunity to rebuild respect and spark conversation around nutrient dense meats and our connection to the fuel that sustains us.

What We Stand For: 

● Love - In action. We care for our earth, our animals, and each other with the utmost respect. 

● Sustainability - We tread lightly on the planet, only using the most minimal and renewable resources in our food production.

● Convenience - We are committed to making it accessible for all to buy farm-fresh, local meat. 

● Quality - We love what we do and work hard to provide our customers with products to not only nourish their bodies with nutritional medicine, but educate them on eating local and as sustainable as possible.

● Fun - Ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none. We now accept EBT and offer affordable CSA boxes for our historically underserved, under resourced people in the Rogue Valley. If you’re not sure if you qualify - reach out and ask.