Meet the Cute Dogs Behind Your Favorite Farms and Ranches
They guard chickens. Sample broccoli. Ride tractors. Let’s meet the cute farm dogs.
Roy & Silo | Root Down Farm
By Becky Duffett
Bi-Rite guests love to park their puppies out front while they shop for their favorite seasonal produce. On any given day on 18th Street or Divisadero, you can spot a few doodles, pit bulls, and Chihuahuas, waiting more or less patiently for their humans to finish picking out a pint of kumquats. (This is, after all, the city with more dogs than children.) But you may not realize that there are also cute dogs behind our local farms and ranches, and they’re working hard to help bring your favorite seasonal produce and pastured meat to the Markets.
Farm dogs come in a diverse mix of breeds, including fluffy white guardian dogs, black-and-white herding dogs, family-friendly retrievers, and even the odd bulldog. They’re very busy and important, because many have official jobs, such as guarding chickens, herding cattle, and patrolling rows of vegetables. While others decide to take on personal passion projects, like riding shotgun on tractors, entertaining small children, and sampling the produce. Not only are they outstandingly cute, but they help run operations, and they’re part of the family. Let’s meet the cute dogs behind Bi-Rite’s partner farms and ranches.
Bunny | Root Down Farm
Bunny | Root Down Farm
Bunny of Root Down Farm
Breed: Great Pyrenees mix
Age: 8 years old
Job: Turkey guardian
If you’re lucky enough to visit the chicks at Root Down, the first person to introduce herself will be Bunny, a fluffy Great Pyrenees mix. Her official job is to guard your Thanksgiving turkeys, who she lives with in the pasture. But she also has a passion for sleeping on top of mulch piles and escaping fences. Farmer Dede Boies and wife Melissa Morris named Bunny and her sister Mame after their grandmothers, and while Mame is sweet, Bunny demands attention.
Follow @rootdownfarm
Mylo & Myra | Live Earth Farm
Mylo & Myra of Live Earth Farm
Breed: Maremma Sheepdogs
Age: 3 years old
Job: Livestock guardians
Meet Mylo and Myra of Live Earth Farm, a brother-and-sister duo of Maremma pups, the Italian breed who protected Roman sheep from wolves. Farmer Tom Broz only wanted a girl, but didn’t have the heart to separate them. They rule the upper farm and protect the chickens and goats from coyotes and mountain lions. But they also love playing with farm kids, taking long strolls on (or off) the property, and belly rubs.
Follow @liveearthfarm
Maisy | Stemple Creek Ranch
Luna | Stemple Creek Ranch
Luna of Stemple Creek Ranch
Breed: Border Collie
Age: 2 years old
Job: Cattle herder
Maybe you haven’t met Luna yet, as she’s one of the younger collies at Stemple Creek Ranch. She takes her job seriously, herding the cattle and sheep between pastures, where they get to munch on green grass their entire lives. (Unlike her Labrador friends, who tend to get distracted by jumping into puddles or water troughs.) Luna is suspicious of strangers and has an ominously loud bark, and she runs off extra energy by chasing rabbits.
Follow @stemplecreek
Nellie | Fifth Crow Farm
Nellie of Fifth Crow Farm
Breed: Short-Haired Border Collie
Age: 10 years old
Job: Chief of police
You may know Nellie of Fifth Crow Farm, the black-and-white border collie. She’s considered the chief of police, on the case protecting the family and hunting for gophers. In her youth she loved sampling fresh broccoli, and in her spare time she babysits and plays dress up with the farm kids. (Her partner Banks, on the other hand, prefers to ride ATVs and raid trash cans.)
Follow @fifthcrowfarm
Bowie | Blue House Farm
Bowie of Blue House Farm
Breed: English Shepherd
Age: 6 years old
Job: Entertainer
The fans go wild for Bowie, the smiling English Shepherd behind Blue House Farm. He does not have many animals to herd on this vegetable and flower farm, so he’s solely an entertainer by profession, and always the first to welcome visitors onto the property. He was born on Valentine’s Day and named after the late great David Bowie.
Follow @bluehousefarm
Benzy | Masumoto Family Farm
Benzy of Masumoto Family Farm
Breed: Australian Shepherd mix
Age: At least 10 years old
Job: Greeter
Please accept a pawshake from Benzy, an Aussie mix and older gentleman — his family doesn’t know exactly how old, as they rescued him 10 years ago. He’s a guard and greeter, wagging visitors into the orchard with soulful eyes. Slowing down these days, he’s retired from chasing rabbits, in favor of napping on the porch. His sister Takara (a shepherd mix) is the peach taste tester, and their neighbor Bali (a pit mix) used to come over to visit every day.
Follow @masumoto_family_farm
Brisket and Nugget | Devoto Orchards
Brisket | Devoto Orchards
Brisket of Devoto Orchards
Breed: Pit Bull & Boxer mix
Age: 9 years old
Job: Apple taster
How about that Brisket at Devoto, a pit bull and Boxer mix. He lives on the orchard part time and does not have any career ambitions, as he’d rather be snuggling on a comfy couch. But he does love mud jumping, rabbit chasing, and taste testing all of the heirloom apple varieties. His brother Nugget (a shepherd mix) is the local branch manager; he’s more into sticks.
Follow @devoto_orchards
Zeus | Full Belly Farm
Zeus of Full Belly Farm
Breed: Golden Retriever
Age: 10 years old
Job: Greeter
Anyone who’s ever caught a tractor tour or pizza night has met Zeus, king of the dogs at Full Belly Farm. He’s the head of the welcoming committee, and loves all visitors, but especially kids. He’s also obsessed with vehicles, and insists on riding shotgun in trucks, tractors, and golf carts. Wherever Farmer Dru Rivers might need to go that day, he’s coming along for the ride.
Follow @full_belly_farm
Potato | Solstice Farms
Potato of Solstice Farms
Breed: French Bulldog
Age: 5 years old
Job: Prince
Last but never least, you’ve got to meet Potato, the French bulldog of Solstice Farm. Who is a terrible farm dog, according to his family. He does no actual labor, leaving it all to his sister Kiddo (a shepherd mix). But that does not slow down this short prince from drinking puddles, riding tractors, and chasing goats. He practices yoga in the morning and sunbathes in the afternoon.
Follow @solsticefarmsca
You can support all of these hardworking pups by shopping for their produce at Bi-Rite, visiting them at their respective farms, or following their adventures on Instagram.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.
