Who we are
The Rolling R — our founders’ beginnings may feel familiar. Bret’s parents moved from Illinois to Colorado before his birth, bringing with them generations of agricultural experience. For Bret, a love of the land and farming runs in his blood. Susanne, on the other hand, comes from a suburban family, four generations removed from ranching or farming, but traveled the world care of the Air Force and her family’s military career.
Bret and Susanne shared a deep love for the outdoors. High school and college were filled with camping, hiking, and fishing, and their early careers centered around wildlife and land stewardship. As their family grew, time spent afield with bow, rifle, or muzzleloader became limited. Their firstborn, Brooke, was raised eating meat solely from the hunt. With Dalton and Bridger following, time for hunting became scarce—but the desire to provide high-quality, natural food never waned.
And so, the dream began: a farm on two acres. Chickens came first, free-ranging and providing fresh eggs. Turkeys followed, then a horse—and a serendipitous visit to a cattle ranch soon brought cattle into the picture. The two acres quickly filled, prompting the search for additional land. Before long, the Rollers were producing high-quality, natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free pork and beef for the local community.
The pandemic brought challenges, closing restaurants and affecting their homestead. Yet it also gave the Rollers the opportunity to return to their true calling—teaching and sharing their vision with others seeking a simpler lifestyle and a deeper connection to the outdoors. Over more than ten years, they taught outdoor skills courses through Colorado State University, reaching over 4,000 students. Today, they volunteer their time and homestead to special needs adults, provide animal therapy to seniors with memory loss, and offer equine and animal therapy to veterans, first responders, and those needing to heal from trauma.
The homestead spans a 17-acre home base, with additional grazing lands nearby. It’s home to sheep for wool, horses, chickens, goats, mini Highland cattle, Akaushi cattle, alpacas, mini donkeys, and Grandma’s beloved llama. These animals offer connection to all that visit – their role is one of bringing joy.
We invite your family to step back into simple living, reconnect with the outdoors, and meet our animals. Come join the Rolling R family and experience the heart of a local homestead!
Bret & Susanne’s Story… the beginning
Bret and Susanne met near the end of their junior year at Lakewood High School, a meeting that quietly set the course for the rest of their lives. They became high school sweethearts, bonded by a shared love for the outdoors and a sense of adventure that neither could quite put into words yet. After graduation, both went on to attend college at Colorado State University, their paths weaving in and out of each other’s lives as they grew into who they were meant to become.
Following college, Bret’s adventurous spirit carried him far north to Alaska. He worked as a deckhand on halibut fishing boats, later becoming a kayak guide, fishing guide, wildlife expert, and first mate aboard a research vessel in Prince William Sound. His journey eventually led him to the North Slope, where he worked in the energy industry before feeling the pull of home and returning to Colorado.
Susanne’s path stayed rooted in wildlife and time outdoors. She became a District Wildlife Manager and wildlife officer, earning her POST certification through the Red Rocks Police Academy. Though their adventures took them in different directions, Bret and Susanne’s paths crossed time and again through college and the years that followed—always finding their way back to each other.
They were married at the Evergreen Lake House, surrounded by family, nature, and the life they were building together. Soon after, they started a family, and with it, the seeds of the homestead were planted—growing from shared values, hard work, and a deep love for the land, animals, and community that continue to define their story today.
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