David's Pasture: The Story and Meaning Behind Our Name

When my parents, David & Kim Kesten, started this business in 2011, we had defaulted to the name Kesten Family Farm. While fitting, the name didn’t fully capture the vision that my dad had cast for our business.

That summer, we spent several weeks brainstorming a new name that would better encompass the values of our business.

One morning, at the age of 11, I woke up from a dream. I don’t remember the dream now, except that it involved glimpses throughout King David’s life. I woke up with the name “David’s Pasture” repeating in my head. Half asleep, I stumbled into the dining room where the rest of my family was already enjoying breakfast and asked, “how about David’s Pasture?”

It didn’t take long for the entire family to agree that David's Pasture was the perfect name.

More Than Just a Name

The name David’s Pasture carries far more meaning than just my dad’s first name. It encompasses the why behind our humane and regenerative agricultural practices, as well as the heart behind our people.

We are a People After God’s own Heart

Like King David, we strive to be a people “after God’s own heart.” (Acts 13:22) He is our Creator. He knows us best and knows what’s best for us. We believe an abundant life is found in the pursuit of Him. We seek His direction for every area of our lives, including our farm.

We are Stewards of His Creation

Before King David was given his high position as shepherd over God’s people, he served as a humble shepherd of sheep. It was there in the pasture that David learned what it meant to trust God and care for His creation. David was a good shepherd; one who knew his sheep and cared for them well. We strive to raise livestock in a way that glorifies God by respecting their created nature and giving back to the soil.

We Trust Him When Facing Goliath

We are David in this battle against modern-day agriculture and the Goliaths that seek to control our food system. We trust God to provide for our needs, even when they seem impossible.

We also understand that the true war is "not with flesh and blood”, and that the true enemy is not the corporations or governments that control our food system, but rather the greater powers that have influenced these entities. We believe that they deserve love and forgiveness as much as ourselves, and we desire that they too would take part in a more abundant life.

We are founded on the vision of David Kesten

This is the conclusion most people make to the origin of our name. David's Pasture was founded by my dad, David Kesten, who had a vision for a farm that incorporated his family in providing the local community with nutrient-dense meats and was guided by the values previously mentioned. While our farm now utilizes multiple pastures, it all started with David Kesten's humble 10-acre farm, which we are still using today.

Whether you have been with us from the beginning, or are just now considering joining the DP family, I hope that you can identify with the vision and values that our farm was founded on and continues to operate by today.

Your farmer,
Remi Kesten