Heart, home and heritage

On the sweeping plains of Cashion, Oklahoma, Red Plains Ranch is home to David and Cara Gerken alongside their three daughters, Sydnee, Madelyn, and Victoria. It’s here, among cattle and wide-open country that the Gerken family continues to build a legacy shaped by hard work, shared responsibility, and a commitment to the rich tradition of the West.

Building a Ranch, Shaping a Future

David and Cara began their ranching journey with a shared passion for cattle and a desire to raise their family in agriculture. From the very beginning, they envisioned a life centered on ranching, and today their three daughters carry on a fifth-generation agricultural tradition. What began as a modest 18 acres has grown through years of hard work and careful stewardship into nearly 2,000 acres. As David puts it, “You can't build something like this without a strong work ethic.” A personal dream has since developed into a thriving, thoughtfully managed operation, guided by long-term vision and deep respect for the traditions of ranching.

Their combined knowledge and experience played a central role in building Red Plains Ranch. David’s background in vocational agriculture, horticulture and turf science gave him practical insight into land management and forage production, while Cara’s bachelor’s degree in animal science from Kansas State University and master’s degree in food science from Oklahoma State University brought a deep understanding of beef production from pasture to consumer. Together, their experience became the foundation of Red Plains Ranch, enabling them to manage both a registered angus cattle breeding herd and a commercial stocker operation; all while nurturing the next generation of ranchers. 

A Foundation Built on History

What makes the family’s work especially significant is not only how they ranch, but where. Located along the historic Chisholm Trail, a route that still carries deep meaning for ranchers today; Red Plains Ranch is proud of their ties to the formative age of western agriculture. In the decades following the Civil War, the Chisholm Trail became one of the most important cattle routes in American history, used to move millions of Texas longhorns to northern markets where beef was shipped east to feed a growing nation. 

Working along The Chisholm Trail required sharp stock sense, grit, and an intimate understanding of land and livestock. For the Gerken family, their location along this historic route connects them to the pioneering spirit and determination of ranchers who traveled before them. Having the unique opportunity to work along the trail, Cara shares, “it's allowed us to be able to further the rich tradition of the West by having that part of our foundation and the development of our Red Plains Ranch.”

Innovation Rooted in Tradition

While Red Plains Ranch is firmly grounded in tradition, the Gerkens understand that agriculture has never been a static industry. From the earliest cattle drive to modern operations, success has always depended on the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Today, they balance that tradition with modern tools that support efficiency and long-term resilience. 

Traditional rangeland grazing at Red Plains has evolved into rotational grazing as the Gerken’s look to maximize efficiency of their forage. As daughter Madelyn Wittmer notes, this shift has been “one of the best things for soil health and the grass itself,” allowing the ranch to make better use of what it already has while reducing the need for supplemental feed. For Madelyn, this mindset reflects a broader mission shared by agriculturalists, “we are utilizing what we have in the best way possible, and I think that's the mission of agriculturalists here in Oklahoma, but also across the United States.”

That same practical mindset extends beyond grazing management. The Gerkens stay engaged with evolving technologies and industry best practice, from herd data tracking and genetic selection to pasture monitoring and smart water-management strategies. These systems inform better decisions in the day-to-day work of the ranch, without replacing the good ol’ fashioned stockmanship that remains at the heart of their operation.

Protecting a Way of Life 

Keeping their ranch in the family has always been the vision at Red Plains.It was important to David and Cara to ground their daughters in values of faith, hard work, and integrity which have long defined both their family and their operation. David shares that his daughters "[They] like taking ownership and leadership of the ranch. As we pass this along, we feel pretty good about them carrying the tradition on.”

What the Gerkens are working to protect at home in Oklahoma is the same way of life now under pressure across the United States.

Recent USDA agriculture census data shows that between 2017 and 2022, the United States lost 141,733 farms, many of them family owned, while total farm acreage also declined by more than 20 million acres. Losses like these signal growing challenges for the future of American agriculture; and the Gerken’s are acutely aware of these threats to their way of life. Cara shares, "Our industry is seeing urban creep and urban development come in and take our agricultural lands away... it's very important and very vital that we continue to preserve the heritage of agriculture."

For the Gerkens, long-term commitment to soil health, animal welfare, and sustainable practices ensures not only resilient food production, but the preservation of agricultural landscapes and traditions that form the foundation of the rural American identity.         

Carrying the Legacy Forward

Today, daughters Sydnee, Madelyn, and Victoria are not simply stepping into roles shaped for them, but actively shaping the future of the ranch themselves.

Youngest daughter Victoria Gerken is involved in the technical side of the ranch while also playing a big part in overseeing the day-to-day responsibilities. "I've always wanted to stay actively involved within the operation... [it] stems a lot from my mom and dad just encouraging us to find our place within the ranch and figuring out what it is that we're passionate about." Of her role on the ranch Victoria shares, “I probably help dad the most with the farming side of it; I help plant a lot of wheat, bale hay, rake hay, cut hay. "She also manages the record keeping for the breeding side of operations, ensuring that all performance and genetic data is kept up to date and actively managed. 

Madelyn, the middle daughter, carries her agricultural roots beyond the ranch and into the policy space, working in Kansas in the field of agricultural policy. While her professional role looks outward, her connection to the ranch remains deeply personal. She recalls calving season on the ranch as the most fulfilling for her; when months of preparation and decision-making finally come together to bring forth new life.

Sydnee Gifford, the eldest of the Gerken daughters, brings agriculture into the classroom through her work as a fifth-grade science teacher in nearby Kingfisher. Growing up in Cashion, agriculture was never separate from daily life and has shaped not only her understanding of the industry, but her desire to share it with the next generation. Through education, she continues to carry the ranching values beyond the fence line, ensuring the lessons learned at Red Plains Ranch help foster respect for the land among Kingfisher youngsters. 

Together, the sisters embody the future of Red Plains Ranch: a balance of tradition, innovation, and community. They represent not just the preservation of family operations, but the evolution of agriculture in the 21st century.

For the Gerkens, ranching is more than land or livestock, it is a way of life, a commitment good stewardship, and a promise to pass down solid values and pride in the American West. As Sydnee, Madelyn, and Victoria carry the torch forward, Red Plain Ranch stands as a living testament to the power of family, tradition, and the enduring cowboy (or cowgirl) spirit.